Motel Neighbor Traumatized After Tulsa Standoff

A man wanted out of Nebraska on weapons charges is in jail after getting into a nearly 17-hour standoff with police at a Tulsa motel.

Investigators said Rush Hembree barricaded himself in the Rest Inn and Suites and took his pregnant girlfriend hostage.

3/21/2018 Related Story: Nebraska Fugitive Arrested Following Hours-Long Standoff At Tulsa Motel

News On 6 talked with the woman who said she was taken hostage but she wasn’t ready to give an interview.  

A neighbor, however, said that Wednesday’s standoff was one of the most traumatic experiences she's ever had.  

Nikki Crabtree said she's ready to leave the Rest Inn and Suites after a nearly 17-hour standoff ended just feet from where she was staying.

"Oh my gosh oh my gosh I'll be ready when our apartments available this weekend," Crabtree said. 

Crabtree was just several doors away from where 49-year-old Rush Hembree was barricaded with his 28-year-old pregnant girlfriend. 

"I was scared cause I was like it's right up above us not too far so I was thinking, holy crap," Crabtree said. 

Eventually, Hembree released his girlfriend. Police used pepper ball rounds and chemical agents to get him out of the motel room a short time later.

Tulsa Police Sergeant Shane Tuell said the Special Operations team came out around midnight and stayed until the standoff was over. 

"They've been out here a long time, they're exhausted and that is very taxing on an individual. It's not like patrol. When you do patrol, there are ebbs and flows in your job," said Tuell. 

He said lots of resources were used including calling in Broken Arrow's SWAT team.

"We cross train with them a lot as we do with other agencies and it’s just for these reasons so that we're all on the same page," Tuell said. 

In the meantime, Crabtree said she’s never seen anything like this and is thankful police ended it without any injuries. 

"I think that the Tulsa Police Officers and the SWAT handled it to the best of their ability what they're trained for and took care of the situation,” she said. 

Hembree was taken to the hospital to be checked out. 

He's being booked on complaints of being a fugitive from justice, kidnapping, shooting with intent to kill a police officer, possession of a firearm as felon, stolen property, and resisting arrest.