Man from Crane Identified as Armed Robber

Lee Dell Thomas Jr., who fell to his death after an almost 15-hour standoff, has been identified as the suspect who took a box truck by knifepoint at the Adolphus Hotel in the 1300 block of Commerce Street  at 2:33 a.m. on Memorial Day.

Police said yesterday in a press conference that Thomas fell as SWAT approached him in the operator’s cabin of the crane. As he leaned out the window to spray officers with lubricant found in the cabin, he ended up with both legs outside of a window he had busted out earlier in the day. Before officers could get past the barricaded door of the cabin, Thomas was hanging from the crane and fell soon after.

SMU posted a statement yesterday about the aftermath of the incident. Here’s the leading sentence:

“While SMU is relieved that the situation involving a man occupying a crane at the Residential Commons site is resolved and that the threat of danger has passed, we are saddened by the loss of life that occurred.”

SMU

Edit: The original title referred that the man jumped, when police stated he fell after spraying SWAT officers. Also, the actual location was at the Adolphus Hotel, not in Deep Ellum, as originally believed.


5 thoughts on “Man from Crane Identified as Armed Robber

  • May 30, 2012 at 12:33 pm
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    The robbery/carjacking took place at the Adolphus Hotel, which is downtown Dallas….not Deep Ellum.

    Reply
  • May 30, 2012 at 1:28 pm
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    So he is a “jumper” in the headline of this and the last post; but in the actual content he fell…?

    Reply
  • May 30, 2012 at 3:07 pm
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    Good eye, Gringo and Avid. The corrections have been made. Thank you.

    Reply
  • May 30, 2012 at 4:05 pm
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    Good work all around Mr. Plock.

    Reply
  • May 31, 2012 at 9:40 am
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    At least no faces were chewed off…

    Reply

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