Family Hostage Nightmare That Lasted Over 6 Hours

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]Stand up.

[00:00:02]>> Isaiah, can you hear me?

[00:00:07]>> Go.

[00:00:08]No, I'm not. I am not crazy.

[00:00:12]Go. Go now. Go. Get up. Climb up. Find a way up. I got you. I have you.

[00:00:20]>> Have you gotten a call from there before yet? Or no? Um >> I'm sorry.

[00:00:24]>> Oh, you need to speak to Isaiah. What's going on over here?

[00:00:27]>> Okay, please. Somebody send someone. My father is going to break into this house. I've killed every door. I've killed every window. He's going to break in through a window. He's going to come after my children. And I don't know what he's capable of. He's an abusive man.

[00:00:41]>> He's viol who are you talking to?

[00:00:48]>> When you hear him come through the door, just know he has a gun. He has many guns. You lock this door. You bar it with whatever you have. Just throw whatever you can in front of it in the closet.

[00:01:00]>> What's his name?

[00:01:02]>> The voice you're hearing isn't a victim calling for help. It's the suspect himself, Isaiah Gardner, already spiraling into paranoia before police even arrived.

[00:01:10]>> My family is cowering in fear and I know they're going to be here. And as soon as he comes through that door, either you guys gonna find a psychological benefit for my family, A, or B, you guys are trying to find a dead body with me on it and a sword in my hand.

[00:01:29]>> By the time officers arrived on scene just after 1:00 in the morning, Isaiah had already armed himself. A sword, 3 ft of solid metal purchased online. And behind that locked bedroom door was his wife and his two children, one of them just four months old.

[00:01:46]>> He's going to get >> he's going to go code three depending on they're going to go code three. So you need to follow code three.

[00:01:58]>> For hours, Sacramento officers tried to make contact inside the home, hoping to end the situation without violence.

[00:02:05]Crisis negotiators stayed on the phone with the family while SWAT quietly assembled a hostage rescue team outside, preparing for the moment peaceful negotiation might fail.

[00:02:15]I ain't going down. I didn't leave this room and neither are you.

[00:02:22]Stop.

[00:02:23]>> You need to stop.

[00:02:28]>> You're an idiot.

[00:02:30]>> You're an idiot. You're so an idiot.

[00:02:32]>> Isaiah, can I talk to please? I hear her voice.

[00:02:37]>> Let me just talk to her for a moment and make sure she's okay.

[00:02:41]>> Cowardly angels.

[00:02:43]>> The cowardly angels out there to rise again tonight. Remember who they are >> and to pray for an innocent man and his family who are about to have Satan himself moves on him. The devil himself going to come knocking on my door today.

[00:02:59]I'm going to say get the out of your eye and chop your head off. That's what's gonna happen.

[00:03:05]>> This woman has >> betrayed me all night long.

[00:03:12]>> Tell me about that.

[00:03:12]>> They're packing up. They're getting called in right now. The evidence was clear.

[00:03:18]He had molested somebody on duty. And it's unclear how many more people he did it in front of.

[00:03:27]And the department was aware of it and they still hid it and let it continue to get disgusting. They're all to me.

[00:03:36]>> They're not gone. All of them. The demons are still out there. They're waiting around.

[00:03:41]>> Shut the up and listen to me.

[00:03:46]No.

[00:03:47]Get in the closet.

[00:03:50]You're so dumb. You failed tonight. You failed. You failed.

[00:04:00]Yeah, you're protecting yourself. You're protecting yourself.

[00:04:13]>> While negotiators tried to keep Isaiah talking, officers outside were racing to understand how dangerous the situation had become. Every minute that passed revealed more signs that the man inside that bedroom was losing touch with reality.

[00:04:33]Then around 7:30 a.m., negotiators heard screams from his wife and violent threats from Isaiah, forcing the hostage rescue team to move in.

[00:04:52]>> Is there?

[00:04:54]What are you doing?

[00:05:00]Yeah, Lincoln, we um we can hear it.

[00:05:03]We're on the phone with him.

[00:05:07]>> Isaiah, talk to me. You can take out your frustration and anger on me. Don't focus it on.

[00:05:13]>> I believe in God. And I believe in God.

[00:05:24]>> Get that out of the way.

[00:05:32]quiet.

[00:05:35]Quiet feet. Quiet feet. Quiet feet.

[00:05:36]White feet. Quiet feet.

[00:05:43]>> Isaiah Gardner, 32 years old. By every account, a normal man living a normal life, a husband, a father, someone who went to work and came home to his family. But weeks before that August night, Isaiah had been diagnosed with a serious medical condition. One that to this day has never been made public.

[00:06:02]Redacted from every document, sealed from public view. What we do know is that it came with a prescription, a high dose of medication, higher than what would normally be prescribed. And those closest to him say it rewired him almost overnight. His wife noticed it first, then his pastor, then his father. The man they knew, focused, calm, and present, was gone. In his place was someone consumed by paranoia, unable to sleep, unable to think straight, convinced that something was coming for his family. He hadn't slept in nearly 5 days. And on the night of August 10th, 2022, whatever grip Isaiah had left on reality, let go.

[00:06:45]>> Ran ran it.

[00:06:48]way. Other way out on me. On me.

[00:07:02]>> Right here.

[00:07:05]>> Police.

[00:07:16]>> On the ground. On the ground. On the ground.

[00:07:21]On your stomach. Your stomach.

[00:07:28]>> Somebody have any cops?

[00:07:42]>> Grab the baby. Grab the baby, baby.

[00:07:49]Hey, is he uh is he hit?

[00:07:53]>> Go through fire, please.

[00:07:56]>> And they're clear.

[00:08:04]>> Obvious leg injury.

[00:08:11]>> Lay down. Lay down.

[00:08:13]>> Cheers. You got shears? I got shears here.

[00:08:19]>> Head right here.

[00:08:23]>> No, you're not moving your legs, bud.

[00:08:25]>> Trying to help you.

[00:08:29]>> Watch out. Watch out. Legure.

[00:08:31]>> Might be just leg.

[00:08:32]>> Hey, hold on to that. Hold on to that.

[00:08:35]>> Okay.

[00:08:36]>> What do you need?

[00:08:37]>> Hey, we need to find these chest wounds.

[00:08:44]trying to get down left leg. We should check the back. Yeah, we need to get >> We're all good. Give me this.

[00:08:50]>> Hey, someone needs to flip them.

[00:08:52]>> Hey, let's roll them over.

[00:08:59]>> Hey, let me go get >> one in the rear.

[00:09:08]>> I think they're high hit. I don't think there's any chest.

[00:09:12]I'm going to get this first.

[00:09:16]>> You might have high hip. You might need a >> Nothing. I don't see anything on the chest or back.

[00:09:20]>> I'm not seeing anything on the back.

[00:09:22]Check his arms. Check his arms.

[00:09:25]>> Want to take his chest off some arm.

[00:09:33]>> Can we get this?

[00:09:35]>> All right. You guys got medical?

[00:09:37]>> Yeah, we got medical.

[00:09:42]Hey, somebody uh roll him.

[00:09:45]>> Hang on. Let's get Let's get his cuffs off first.

[00:09:53]>> You have gloves on.

[00:09:55]>> I got to pick.

[00:09:58]>> I just need you to stick with that car cuz the wife and kids are >> Yeah.

[00:10:04]>> Yeah.

[00:10:06]>> I I'll stick with it.

[00:10:07]>> Try to move them out.

[00:10:08]>> Okay. Get her away from fire.

[00:10:10]>> Okay.

[00:10:11]>> And not towards media.

[00:10:13]>> Okay. Uh >> CP probably.

[00:10:17]>> Okay. Let me call Fox.

[00:10:23]>> We'll work on grabbing that. Okay.

[00:10:26]Okay. Do you need to use my phone?

[00:10:34]>> Okay. Let me uh I'll work on that. Okay.

[00:10:38]Uh, do you need the AC or anything on?

[00:10:40]You want me to roll the windows down or >> unit 20? What was that?

[00:10:45]>> Yeah. Let me let me come over there and I'll talk to you. I mean, I'm not sitting in here.

[00:10:55]>> Do you take me somewhere or am I going to go back to my house?

[00:10:59]>> Yeah. So, we're going to hang out for a minute and then I'm going to get direction on where we're going to go with you for right now. Okay.

[00:11:04]>> Um, but we're going to hang out here just for a minute.

[00:11:07]Um, yeah. I will let me make a couple phone calls real quick and figure out uh where we're going to go. Okay.

[00:11:13]>> All right. You want me to leave this door open?

[00:11:16]>> Um, >> I'll just leave it open like this. Okay.

[00:11:31]Do >> you want me to cut the rest of his tant leg off?

[00:11:40]>> There's nothing we can do right here.

[00:11:41]Maybe maybe pack it. So, uh, just put a chunk of down here.

[00:11:46]>> Okay.

[00:11:50]>> All right. Keep breathing. We're helping you out here. We got fire on the way.

[00:11:53]All right. You have to pack that.

[00:11:55]>> Yeah. Get my uh guts prepped for me.

[00:12:04]Still breathing. Still breathing.

[00:12:08]>> Coming in.

[00:12:09]>> Yep.

[00:12:12]>> Wait. You guys the good guys?

[00:12:14]>> Yes.

[00:12:14]>> We're the good guys.

[00:12:15]>> Oh, thank God. The good guys.

[00:12:17]>> You're okay. Good guys are here.

[00:12:19]>> Oh, sweet Lord.

[00:12:21]>> Yep.

[00:12:22]>> Maybe that right there. Let me see the ghost.

[00:12:24]>> Give me some medical aid right now. All right.

[00:12:26]>> I need water. We'll get you water drips.

[00:12:31]>> We'll get all that.

[00:12:33]>> It burns.

[00:12:34]>> It's all right. You're all right. Yep.

[00:12:36]We got that right there that we're packing.

[00:12:37]>> Why did you shoot me, dude? Oh, you had to do this in your ring.

[00:12:45]>> Uh, we got a tourniquet down on his right leg.

[00:12:47]>> Can I move a little bit, please? I'm I'm aware of you.

[00:12:51]>> Just Just hang out right there, bud.

[00:12:52]>> Can you please just hang out right there? Okay.

[00:12:54]>> Let me let go of my feet, please.

[00:12:57]We got to hold you tight.

[00:12:58]>> That's as far as I can get that in.

[00:13:01]>> I know it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt a little.

[00:13:03]>> Maybe I grab the rest of it and just ball it up and put it underneath uh his his underwear there.

[00:13:07]>> How many people died?

[00:13:09]>> Nobody.

[00:13:22]>> Watch out for that sword.

[00:13:23]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:13:30][ __ ] >> We checked his chest. We checked everything else.

[00:13:32]>> Yeah, I checked his armpit. I'm not seeing >> you want maybe this would be the only >> I don't want to mess with that tourniquet right now.

[00:13:40]>> They can tie it off.

[00:13:41]>> When were you guys made to wear >> when >> I don't have any of my Okay. So he does have Yeah, he's got a tourniquet right there.

[00:13:55]>> Just a heads up.

[00:13:56]>> And that's the only That's the only hit.

[00:13:58]>> I think I think that's it. I was only >> like a fingertips length.

[00:14:04]>> Holy that mother.

[00:14:07]>> Cut it off. Maybe throw another one on there.

[00:14:09]>> Burn.

[00:14:10]>> Hang in there.

[00:14:12]>> When were you What the did my father do to make Ryan or something like that?

[00:14:20]Get another guys here if we need it.

[00:14:23]>> Admonishment from me. I will be taking your public safety statements. I will be asking you specific questions. So, please answer only the questions asked of you.

[00:14:30]>> I don't know if I have any.

[00:14:31]>> What was your approximate location when you discharged your firearm?

[00:14:35]>> Uh, entrance to the master bedroom.

[00:14:38]>> What was the approximate number of rounds you fired in in what direction? I >> think between 3 and 5. Uh, it would have been facing northbound, I believe.

[00:14:47]Do you know if any other officers fired any rounds?

[00:14:51]>> I don't believe so.

[00:14:52]>> Is it possible the suspect fired rounds at you?

[00:14:55]>> I don't believe so.

[00:14:56]>> Okay.

[00:14:58]>> Are you aware of any victims, witnesses, injured people?

[00:15:02]>> Just the suspect.

[00:15:03]>> And what's his location?

[00:15:04]>> Uh, he's in the master bedroom.

[00:15:06]>> Are there any outstanding suspects?

[00:15:08]>> No.

[00:15:10]>> Are there any weapons, evidence that need to be secured?

[00:15:12]>> Uh, just the sword and he was display.

[00:15:14]>> Okay. Location of that. Uh, should be here.

[00:15:23]>> Officer Edin. Sergeant, take scratch that Sergeant Ed in order to prevent the contamination contamination of your statement.

[00:15:31]I order you not to discuss this incident with anyone with the exception of your legal or SPOA representation prior to the arrival of assigned investigators.

[00:15:39]You will have an opportunity to provide a full statement of of this incident at a later time.

[00:15:48]Okay. Turn off your body one camera.

[00:15:56]>> You're done.

[00:15:57]>> All right. Um, you go through.

[00:15:59]>> Yeah.

[00:16:02]>> Go back.

[00:16:03]>> Chase is checking the house.

[00:16:06]>> Are you okay if we take you over to the command post around the corner? That way we're away from here for right now. Um, >> it's just down the street and around the corner like right off of uh >> Is that okay if I get my phone?

[00:16:18]>> Is that okay if I get my phone? Can I get my phone?

[00:16:20]>> Yeah, we'll have somebody work on it.

[00:16:22]Okay. All right.

[00:16:24]>> All right.

[00:16:28]Don't leave that house next door.

[00:16:31]>> Yeah.

[00:16:35]>> Yes.

[00:16:40]>> Uh, no.

[00:16:42]Okay.

[00:16:43]>> Oh, no. No, no. The hostages. Yes. Yes.

[00:16:45]Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. Yes. S suspect is not.

[00:16:48]>> No. Not yet. But he's not looking good.

[00:16:52]And And they're No. Hell no. They're not even in the house. They're just getting here. Apparently, they weren't staged.

[00:17:01]>> Yep. Well, >> that's that's what I'm wondering, too, because uh >> Well, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But I I don't think that was the crew that was stag I I didn't believe that was the crew that was staging. I thought that was just a ladder team and then there was a a team staged I would I would assume over by the uh command posts. So anyway, I I just read I just read uh Edge the uh public safety statement and I had him turn his camera off and he's with Jeff Wrath.

[00:17:32]>> I I did. Yes, that's it. Luke Hu.

[00:17:38]Yep. Yep.

[00:17:39]>> Through and through on the exterior wall of this house.

[00:17:41]>> That's where we need to go look.

[00:17:42]>> Jacket and frag on backyard of the other house, but no holes on that house. And it's vacant.

[00:17:47]>> Okay. Okay. So, we're 100% there's no holes.

[00:17:50]>> We're good. Up the stairs to the right.

[00:17:55]>> Union 20 uh for the call just put that >> bullet went through this house to the north but did not enter neighboring residence.

[00:18:04]>> And that one's vacant, too.

[00:18:05]>> Okay. That's the one that chased the occup.

[00:18:12]>> Oh, thank you, God. Lord Jesus, glory be to you forever.

[00:18:23]>> Keep talking, keep talking. You're doing all right. All right.

[00:18:27]>> Awesome. Take it off. Take off my I'm good. I'm good, dude. I >> know. Just relax.

[00:18:33]>> Oh, dude. Dude, I want to celebrate with God right now.

[00:18:41]>> Oh god, we won. We won.

[00:18:45]>> Hey, we got the uh >> we got the fire on the way. Did you take anything last?

[00:18:51]>> They need to know what you're on. What did you take?

[00:18:54]>> What's that?

[00:18:55]>> Cell offense.

[00:18:56]>> Anything else?

[00:18:57]>> 1,000 milligrams.

[00:18:59]>> Okay. Any other >> I have a box of downstairs. I have burned so bad now.

[00:19:06]>> What did you take last night?

[00:19:07]>> Look downstairs.

[00:19:10]>> What kind of camera?

[00:19:12]>> Listen to me.

[00:19:13]>> Talking airway clear.

[00:19:14]>> Listen to me. Listen to me. Cuffs back on him.

[00:19:17]>> Tell me what you took.

[00:19:18]>> At this point, >> I have a complaint right now. Let's Let's wait.

[00:19:27]>> Did you take away fire?

[00:19:33]Yeah.

[00:19:33]>> So, it's just this one.

[00:19:35]>> So, yeah, there's like a finger tip. I don't know if it's just like a but yeah, that's that's the one. I didn't see it.

[00:19:40]I just turned on. Okay.

[00:19:42]>> Um I would like to if we can you go wash up, Bill.

[00:19:47]>> God damn it. Sorry. Listen to me.

[00:19:49]>> Yeah, I'm washing guys and seeing lose pressure on this, but it's unpacked. All right. Hey, can you raise your arm for me? This This arm over here. You're going to raise this arm. I can't. No. No. You should do this.

[00:20:09]Rotate it. Rotate it towards me.

[00:20:12]>> Help roll. Step on the sword.

[00:20:15]>> Isaiah, let's have you roll back.

[00:20:17]>> I got it.

[00:20:17]>> Ready? One.

[00:20:18]>> Any pain in your back?

[00:20:27]>> Put your arm across your wrist.

[00:20:30]Nice.

[00:20:50]>> Isaiah Gardner survived that night. A single bullet, upper left leg. He walked out of UC Davis Medical Center alive.

[00:20:57]His wife survived. His 2-year-old survived, and that four-month-old baby survived. The officers did what they were trained to do. Sergeant Todd Edertton fired three rounds in a split second, not out of anger, not out of aggression, but because a man was standing over his own family with a sword raised above his head. The investigation lasted over a year, and on January 25th, 2024, it concluded, "Within policy, every action, every decision justified." Isaiah Gardner was charged with false imprisonment and child endangerment. The Sacramento Police Department encouraged witnesses to come forward and announced a reward of up to $1,000 for anyone with information. But beyond those charges, silence, no public verdict, no sentencing record, whatever the courts decided for Isaiah Gardner, it never made it to the headlines. Nearly 7 hours. That's how long this ordeal lasted. And when it was finally over, it didn't just become a closed case file.

[00:21:56]It became a lesson. Law enforcement agencies across the region studied what happened on Dragonfly Circle that night.

[00:22:03]Rewriting hostage manuals, rethinking crisis negotiation, and changing the way officers prepare for moments exactly like this one.