Medford Police detectives arrested 35 year old Aynsley Hand, following a tense five hour stand-off Thursday night October 1st. Hand was wanted in connection with three home invasion robberies that had occurred over the past two weeks.
On September 27th at approximately 5:00am the resident of a home located on Ashwood Court in Medford, informed the Medford Police Department that a known male, identified as 35 year old Aynsley Hand, entered her residence armed with a handgun. Hand ordered the victim to the ground and demanded either drugs or money, threatening to kill the victim and everyone in the house. Hand physically assaulted the victim and stole several items from the home prior to leaving.
During this investigation detectives uncovered the two additional robberies in which Hand was also identified as the suspect. On September 23, 2020 Hand arrived at a home on Beatty Street in Medford armed with handgun. He threatened the residents and demanded keys to their vehicle. The third robbery occurred in Ashland and remains under investigation.
On Thursday, October 1st, at approximately 5:00pm, Medford Police Department Detectives located Hand at his apartment in Medford. As they attempted to make contact, Hand fled into his residence. Due to his violent crimes and believing him to be armed with multiple handguns, Medford Police Department SWAT along with trained Crisis Negotiators responded to the scene. Throughout the stand-off officers observed Hand inside the residence armed with a handgun and at times holding the gun to his head. Negotiators attempted to make phone contact with Hand while giving him commands over the PA system. A phone was placed on the back patio of the residence, however, communications were never established.
In an effort to increase the likelihood of Hand’s surrender, the SWAT Team deployed chemical agents into the windows of the apartment. The SWAT Team also utilized a water tamped explosive breach on the front door, in order to gain visual access to the interior of the home. At approximately 10:30pm, Hand surrendered to authorities without further incident.
Detectives interviewed Hand at the Medford Police Department and he was later lodged at the Jackson County Jail on an unrelated Jackson County warrant. On October 2nd, after further investigation, Hand was charged with three counts of Robbery 2, two counts of Burglary 1, Kidnap 2, Assault 4, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Bail has been set at $450,000.
During the search of Hand’s residence, two weapons believed to have been used in the Ashwood Court and Beatty Street robberies were recovered.
No injuries were sustained during this incident, however, at the onset, a 13 year old juvenile suffered a seizure while speaking to detectives. Mercy Ambulance was summoned and the juvenile was transported to a local hospital for care.
The Medford Police Department would like to thank all of the residents on Brookhurst who were affected by this incident. Your cooperation in vacating your home for safety reasons, allowing us into your homes, and supporting our efforts was greatly appreciated.
