PIERRE, S.D. – Law Enforcement confirms that the tactical robot assisted in bringing resolution to Vermillion standoff with law enforcement. On Wednesday, August 30, 2017, Jubal Grant, 19, Wagner, escaped from the Charles Mix County jail, which ended in a standoff at a residence located in Vermillion.

"The use of the tactical robot has proven to be an effective way to provide officer safety during very dangerous operations. This robot protected our officers and helped a young man make a better decision to end a standoff peacefully.  The state-of-the-art equipment does not replace the work of law enforcement, but provides an additional tool to keep our officers and communities safe,” said Jackley.

The technology of the tactical robot was used during negotiations while Grant had barricaded himself in the residence. The standoff ended shortly after the tactical robot was deployed equipped with a recorded message from a relative for Grant.

Grant was arrested on August 30, 2017, and has been charged in Clay County with escape, simple assault on a correctional officer, burglary and grant theft. 

The robot had recently been used in a Lake County incident, which resulted in a felony arrest. The robot was used to better understand the layout of the exterior of the residence by driving around it allowing for law enforcement to evaluate the structure from a safe location. The robot allowed for law enforcement to have a real time look of the entire structure while having the ability to give it commands from a safe location.

The tactical robot was a joint law enforcement purchase by the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office, Sioux Falls Police Department and the Division of Criminal Investigation.

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