By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
Thirteen years ago Barack Obama was president, Robert Bentley was Alabama’s governor, and the University of Alabama won back-to-back national championships under the leadership of Nick Saban. Soon, however, the eyes of the Wiregrass and, indeed, the entire nation turned toward Midland City as a mixture of tragedy, fear, courage, and hope quickly unfolded in the quiet Wiregrass community.
On Jan. 29, 2013, 65-year-old Vietnam veteran Jimmy Lee Dykes boarded a Dale County school bus, fatally shot beloved veteran bus driver Charles Albert Poland Jr., abducted a 5-year-old boy named Ethan, and retreated into a small underground bunker rigged with improvised explosives. The six-by-eight-foot bunker soon became the center of a nearly weeklong hostage crisis that gripped the Wiregrass area and the entire nation.
What followed was a tense standoff that tested law enforcement officers, first responders, families, and an entire community. Yet amid the darkness of those days, stories of sacrifice, unity, professionalism, and resilience emerged that continue to resonate throughout the Wiregrass more than 13 years later.
The Dale County Chronicle reached out to current Midland City Police Chief Ivan Gray to gain his insight and discuss his memories of that traumatic time. During our lengthy discussions, it became clear that Gray remembers those days with remarkable clarity as if it is all indelibly etched into his mind.
At the time of the crisis, Gray served as Operations Commander of the Dothan Police Department Bomb and Explosive Devices Unit and was among the many law enforcement personnel called into action after the shooting and kidnapping.
“I remember the exact day it happened. I was Dothan’s bomb squad commander at the time, and Rickey Stokes called me and asked, ‘Have you heard about the shooting that happened in Midland City?’”
Immediately, Gray understood the seriousness of the situation and knew he had to act.
“He said a bus driver had been shot, and he was told there was an improvised explosive device inside the underground bunker where the perpetrator had retreated with a child from the school,” Gray said. “That right there was the worst thing you ever want to hear.”
As the standoff painfully stretched across several days, local and national media outlets descended upon Midland City. Cameras lined roadways, live broadcasts aired around the clock, and countless Americans anxiously waited and prayed for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
But for those on the ground, the mission never changed, and the sole goal and focus was on bringing Ethan home safely.
Gray explained the complex process included in hostage situations like these, explaining the important steps involved. One of the first steps was establishing a security perimeter around the scene to secure operational integrity.
Gray also spoke of the extensive training that goes into the law enforcement professionals tasked with handling the crisis, saying that bomb technicians undergo extensive federal vetting and specialized training to prepare for situations involving explosives and acts of domestic terrorism. Gray pointed out that the FBI and police department bomb squads undergo the same training together, so operations run smoothly when a crisis calls for coordinated responses.
“Police department bomb squads have to be vetted by the FBI,” Gray said. “We’re sent to school at Redstone Arsenal to be certified as bomb technicians. Whenever the FBI is faced with a situation like that, which you would consider domestic terrorism, they bring in their special agent bomb technicians.”
Gray achieved his Bomb Squad Executive Management certification from the U.S. Army Ordnance Munitions and Electronics Maintenance School through the FBI at Redstone Arsenal.
Even now, Gray speaks with admiration about the cooperation displayed between local, state, and federal agencies throughout the ordeal.
“I was glad to be a part of this operation with everybody else,” Gray said. “It was truly a team effort involving many different agencies and many complex, constantly moving parts. This couldn’t have been achieved with just one agency. No one organization came in there and just took credit. There were just so many moving parts to that.”
For Gray, one of the most meaningful aspects of the operation was the mutual respect shared between federal agents and local officers.
“These people know what they’re doing,” Gray said of the federal agents involved. “When they arrive, they know what they’re doing. But they also made sure to collaborate with local law enforcement because they understand the value of local officers’ understanding of the area and the people involved.”
According to Gray, the spirit of cooperation allowed the operation to function “like clockwork” despite the pressure and uncertainty surrounding the situation at the time.
“Those guys listened to us and asked questions to provide the best assistance in the matter,” Gray said. “I was impressed with the professionalism of all law enforcement involved and the manner in which all the various agencies worked together as a team to safely extract the boy from the hostage situation.”
Then, on Feb. 4, 2013, after nearly a week of tense negotiations and planning, the standoff finally came to an end when an FBI tactical team entered the bunker using stun grenades, fatally shot Dykes, and safely rescued Ethan.
For Gray and countless others involved, the emotions of that moment have never faded.
“It was just this awesome feeling of relief knowing we all had done our jobs and that Ethan came out of this experience safe,” Gray said. “It was highly emotional and still is at times. It was such a rewarding feeling when this operation ended with the safe return of the boy.”
Now, 13 years later, Gray says one of the greatest rewards has been watching Ethan continue forward with his life rather than allowing tragedy to define him.
“I’m also very proud that he has not allowed that experience to hold him back,” Gray said. “I wish him all the good fortune as he moves forward after graduation.”
Ethan graduated from Abbeville High School last week and plans to attend Wallace Community College to study welding. Following the hostage crisis, he was adopted by Rev. Brandon Turner and his wife, Nicci, of Abbeville, who have raised him ever since.
Gray also reflected on the unique meaning it now holds to serve as police chief in the very community where one of the nation’s most unforgettable hostage situations unfolded.
“I am proud to have been appointed five months ago as Police Chief of Midland City, Alabama, where I can continue to serve the citizens of Midland City under the leadership of Mayor Grimsley,” Gray said.
The tragedy also continues to serve as a reminder of extraordinary sacrifice.
Authorities have long credited bus driver Charles Poland Jr. with protecting students aboard the bus by standing between Dykes and the children that afternoon. Current Dale County Schools Superintendent Ben Baker, who was principal of Ariton High School at the time, previously reflected on Poland’s heroism and the example it set for the community in media interviews.
“We need to remember the sacrifice of Mr. Poland,” Baker said in previous remarks. “And let it be a reminder when you see a bus driver, when you see somebody in law enforcement, when you see a teacher, remember the things they do every day to take care of our community and our students.”
For years now, the portion of U.S. Highway 231 between Midland City and Ozark bears Poland’s name in tribute to his sacrifice. Alabama lawmakers also later passed the Charles Poland Law, making it illegal for unauthorized adults to board a school bus.
A few years ago, the late Wally Olson, formerly the Sheriff of Dale County, once reflected on the difficult memories tied to the tragedy while also recognizing the life that was ultimately saved.
“A wife lost her husband, children lost their father,” Olson previously said. He added that the outcome is bittersweet, pointing out that there is sadness of the loss of Poland mixed with the sheer relief “that there was a child who was saved.”
For Gray, however, one of the most enduring and powerful memories from that difficult week was not just the operation itself, but also the compassion and hospitality shown by ordinary people across the community.
“Another aspect that still stands out to me is that everybody was focused, but the citizens there were bringing food and bringing items and donating things because of all these agents and law enforcement and other officials working toward this important goal,” Gray said. “They even brought us home-cooked meals, ensuring that hunger was the furthest thing from our minds.”
Gray recalled walking into staging areas filled with donated supplies, everything from food to toiletries, provided by community members determined to support those working tirelessly to bring Ethan home safely.
“You’d walk in and here’s a stack of things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, all sorts of necessary supplies, and all of the food we could need,” Gray said. “It was inspiring to see members of the community rally together to provide whatever support they could.”
More than a decade later, Gray believes those acts of kindness revealed the true character of the Wiregrass community.
“It provided us with a great deal of relief during such a stressful time,” Gray said. “That week really showed Southern hospitality at its finest.”
Gray being awarded a commendation by then-Governor Robert Bentley
