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Orlando police rescue 3 children, arrest ‘barricaded subject’ after negotiations

Police said they arrested subject after evacuating neighbors along Beech Avenue

ORLANDO, Fla. – Police arrested a woman Monday night after they say she fired a gun outside, then barricaded herself in a home with three children in the Parramore neighborhood of Orlando, according to the police department.

According to police, officers responded to the 300 block of Beech Avenue around 4:09 p.m. after receiving a call about a shooting.

According to the arrest affidavit for Janita Huckaba, 31, a woman said she was outside with her children when she heard shots, and saw a woman standing with a gun. The woman and her children ran inside and called 911.

Police said another person in the neighborhood, Alex Moffitt, heard the gunshots and went outside. He said he saw Huckaba, who he knew, with a weapon in her hand, saying “I don’t have nothing to live for” and “who want smoke with me.” He went back inside and called 911.

Police set up a perimeter and said they tried to get Huckaba to leave the home.

Moffitt told News 6 that multiple families were forced to sit outside of the police tape for hours.

“They evacuated the whole entire complex,” Moffitt said. “They came to everybody’s door with rifles, SWAT team saying, ‘You guys gotta get out of here. You gotta get out of here right now.’”

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According to the arrest affidavit, after four hours Huckaba let the three children leave the house unharmed. After more negotiation, they were able to get Huckaba to leave the home and police took her into custody.

Orlando police investigating incident on Beech Avenue and Bentley Street. (Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

“Great work by all units involved. We appreciate the patience of the local residents in the area as we worked to resolve the situation,” OPD said Monday night.

Huckaba is facing charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault with a firearm.

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