Witnesses Help Police Track Down Suspect Involved In Armed Robbery, Hotel Standoff

A frightened robbery victim assisted Oklahoma City police on Thursday after her store was held up. Police said Kenneth Simmons, 32, then barricaded himself inside a hotel near I-40 and south Meridian Avenue for several hours.  

Bob Mills Sky News 9 flew over the scene at the Oak Tree Inn and Suites. 

“Right now, they’re just in a standoff situation talking to the suspect,” said Jim Gardner, Bob Mills Sky News 9 Pilot.  

Officers surrounded the hotel around 10 a.m. on Thursday. 

“A robbery suspect ran into a hotel and barricaded himself in a room,” said Gardner. 

Police said Simmons was seen on security video holding up a store across the street from the hotel at gunpoint. The employee at Christie's Toy Box told investigators that Simmons demanded all the money in the register and told her to get on the ground. 

When Simmons left, the employee ran next door to a dispensary where there was security on hand and told them she was robbed. One of the security guards saw Simmons run across the street to the hotel. 

“Security believed they had seen him run into a certain hotel room,” said Msgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department.  

That information paid off and police were able to pinpoint Simmons' location. Investigators also pulled security video from the stores across the street to confirm Simmons was the robbery suspect. 

“The tactical unit was contacted from our police department,” said Knight. “And after a standoff that lasted a couple hour or so the suspect came out and surrendered himself,” 

Simmons was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on a robbery complaint and several other charges. Police also took one of the men from the hotel room downtown for questioning.