Investigation underway after Grand Island hostage situation, authorities say

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Hall County corrections director said a criminal and personnel investigation is underway following a hostage situation over the weekend that resulted after a prisoner escaped custody.

Director Todd Bahensky announced the investigation Monday morning.

The incident began Friday when 27-year-old Tyler Manka, of Grand Island, was convicted of multiple charges related to a July shooting incident where he barricaded himself inside a garage.

Grand Island Police said Manka was taken to CHI Health-St. Francis Friday night for medical treatment.  He escaped the custody of corrections officials and ran toward Regency Care Center on Alpha Street.

Bahensky and Grand Island Police Department Capt. Jim Duering confirmed there were no other law enforcement officers with Manka when he was being treated at the hospital.

Any time prisoners are transported outside of the Hall County Jail, two corrections officers accompany them without any other law enforcement officers present, said Bahensky.  This was the case for Manka on Friday night; however, GIPD is interviewing jail staff to determine if Manka was shackled.

Duering said two citizens, an ER doctor and a passerby, pursued Manka and tracked him down as he ran down the street toward the care center.

Manka used a piece of a chair to break his way into Regency and ran through the facility before going to an apartment near Stoeger and Baumann Drives, police say.

At the apartment, Manka took the owner, a 60-year-old male, hostage, police say.  The hostage was kept in a corner of a room in the apartment.

(Photo credit: NTV News)

At 10:19 p.m. on Friday, police were called to the scene.

After officials arrived at the scene, multiple hours of negotiation ensued.  Throughout the evening, the Grand Island Police Department Tactical Response team, negotiators, additional officers, the Hall County Sheriff’s Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol were called to the scene.

Due to the length of the incident, the NSP SWAT team took over operations around 6 a.m. on Saturday.

During the standoff, a Nebraska State trooper received minor injuries and was taken to the hospital; the victim and Manka had no injuries.

Manka was arrested on suspicion of burglary, kidnapping, escape, terroristic threats, and use of a weapon to commit a felony in addition to charges he faced on Friday.  Court records do not list any additional charges filed against Manka in relation to the hostage situation.

Hall County Attorney Marty Klein said he is waiting for the investigation into the hostage situation to be completed before filing additional charges. He expects to file them once the investigation is complete.

Charges from Friday’s incident:

According to all County District Court, Manka was found guilty of first-degree assault, use of a firearm to commit a felony, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, unlawful/intentional discharge of a firearm, tampering with physical evidence, resisting arrest, obstructing a peace officer, criminal trespassing, and possession of a controlled substance.

He was found not guilty of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree assault, and three additional counts of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony.