Le Mars, Iowa — We now have more information about the apprehension and arrest of a man who caused an Amber Alert when he is said to have taken his non-custodial son from school.
According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the situation started when the Jefferson Police Department requested assistance with a kidnapping case. They tell us that 34-year-old Brandon Duong took his seven-year-old biological son, Bryson Duong, from Greene Elementary School in Jefferson, Iowa. A court order restricting Brandon Duong from having custody had been issued in December 2023.
Plymouth County authorities tell us that at about 4:40 p.m., the black Toyota Tacoma was spotted by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office near Safford Avenue and 230th Street, south of the Correctionville and Cushing areas. Woodbury County officers attempted a traffic stop on the Toyota Tacoma, which failed to stop and a pursuit ensued with the suspect vehicle. The pursuit continued in a northerly direction entering a small portion of Cherokee County and then into Plymouth County. Pursuing officers at one point had lost contact with the suspect vehicle but were able to relocate the vehicle near Highway 3 and Sunset Avenue, east of Remsen in Plymouth County. During the pursuit, it was learned that the suspect Brandon Duong may be armed with a long rifle. The vehicle continued a short distance after being relocated, but then crashed, at which time, the driver exited the vehicle with Bryson and proceeded on foot into a field armed with a rifle.
A perimeter was established around the section and members of the CERT — or “Community Emergency Response Team” — which consists of deputies and officers from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Police Department and the Le Mars Police Department — were able to locate the father and son with an armored rescue vehicle. Communication was established with the suspect from negotiators which continued for several hours. The Iowa State Patrol also responded to the scene with a second armored rescue vehicle, which included members of the Iowa State Patrol and Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office tactical teams. Negotiators continued to communicate with Duong, eventually taking him into custody at approximately 8:00 p.m. without incident or injury to either the father or the son.
Brandon Duong is charged in Greene County with second-degree kidnapping, armed with a dangerous weapon, a class B felony. If convicted, Duong could face up to 25 years in prison.
Plymouth County authorities tell us that several agencies were involved in the apprehension of Duong, including the Plymouth, Woodbury, Sioux, Cherokee, and O’Brien county sheriff’s offices, the Kingsley, Hinton, Remsen, Le Mars, Cherokee, and Marcus police departments, the Iowa State Patrol, the Division of Criminal Investigation, and the departments of Narcotics, Natural Resources, and Human Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Remsen Ambulance Squad and Le Mars Fire Rescue.
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Original Story:
Remsen, Iowa — An Amber Alert issued for an area that seemed like another part of the state for northwest Iowans suddenly became very relevant for area law enforcement officers on Tuesday, January 30th.
According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the situation started when the Jefferson Police Department requested assistance with a kidnapping case. They tell us that 34-year-old Brandon Duong took his seven-year-old biological son, Bryson Duong, from Greene Elementary School in Jefferson, Iowa. A court order restricting Brandon Duong from having custody had been issued in December 2023.
An Amber Alert was issued for Bryson Duong at 3:28 p.m.
Authorities tell us that a few minutes before 5:00 p.m., law enforcement located Duong’s vehicle in the area northeast of Remsen, in Plymouth County, about nine miles south of Granville. Duong led officers on a high-speed chase and eventually crashed his vehicle. We are told he left the vehicle on foot, carrying the boy, and in possession of a rifle. Several law enforcement agencies responded to the area, negotiated with Duong, and eventually placed him under arrest. The child — Bryson — is in the care of the Department of Human Services.
The Department of Public Safety tells us Brandon Duong has been charged with one count of Kidnapping in the First Degree and will be transferred to the Greene County Jail. The Jefferson Police Department and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation will continue their investigation to further understand the circumstances that necessitated the issuance of the Amber Alert.
Authorities tell us any additional information will be released as it becomes available.
