An armed man has been charged with ambushing 11 National Guard troops who were transporting COVID-19 vaccines in Texas and holding them at gunpoint after a highway chase, Military.com reported.
According to the news outlet, the suspect, identified as Larry Harris, 66, on Monday morning followed 3 vans of troops transporting vaccines leaving a travel stop in Texas for 10 miles, and allegedly tried to run Guard members off the road.
Idalou, Texas Police Chief Eric Williams said Harris then turned his vehicle into oncoming traffic and stopped the National Guard vans, the military news outlet reported.
Harris allegedly pointed a Colt 1911 .45 caliber pistol at the troops, falsely identified himself as a detective, and accused the soldiers of kidnapping a woman and child.
The troops were unarmed, Williams told Military.com, adding Homeland Security investigators are expected to bring federal charges.
Idalou officers took Harris into custody without incident. Police said Harris had additional magazines on him and in his vehicle, Military.com reported.
"Mr. Harris appeared to be mentally disturbed. This was a very dangerous situation since the suspect was standing in the midst of the unarmed Guardsman with a loaded weapon, then the Idalou officers arrived on scene," Williams said in a statement, the news outlet reported.
Harris was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint of the 11 soldiers and other charges, and was being held at Lubbock County Detention Center, the news outlet reported.
There are 31,000 troops deployed across the country for coronavirus relief, Military.com reported; the missions include distributing food and facilitating coronavirus testing, as well as administering vaccines.
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