Police: Man uses 7-year-old as human shield while resisting officers

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – A man is accused of using his 7-year-old son as a human shield when a West Virginia State Trooper had him at gunpoint.

News outlets, citing a criminal complaint, report that 45-year-old Philip Spurlock was arrested and charged with kidnapping and child neglect in Thursday’s incident.

The complaint says a trooper tried to conduct a traffic stop on Spurlock when he sped off, leading authorities on a chase. He eventually stopped.

The trooper was ordering Spurlock to the ground, at gunpoint, when Spurlock pulled his child out of the vehicle, using him a human shield.

Spurlock then ran, dragging his son with him. A trooper tried to arrest Spurlock but he kept resisting.

The trooper used pepper spray on Spurlock, who again used his son as a shield.

It’s unclear if Spurlock has an attorney.