ATF agents stand in front of a charred motor home parked inear Lee Circle and Halls Ferry Road after an explosion killed James “Gee Gee’ Alexander Wednesday. (Melanie Duncan ThortisThe Vicksburg Post)

[5/1/03] A 13-hour standoff between local and federal authorities and a Louisiana man ended Wednesday afternoon when authorities say the man detonated explosives that resulted in his death.

James “Gee Gee” Alexander, 41, of Delta, La., had been holed up since 1:30 a.m. in a motor home off Halls Ferry Road between Gibson and Porters Chapel roads. He was killed when at least two blasts around 2:40 created a ball of fire that engulfed the motor home.

Authorities with the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, Vicksburg Police, FBI and ATF were at the scene, but have not confirmed what caused the explosions. A statement from federal authorities says Alexander killed himself to avoid capture.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace did not immediately release details of the events that led to Alexander’s death, but said communications with him broke down about a half hour before the first large bang.

“He just refused to talk to anyone. We were just sitting and waiting,” Pace said.

The standoff with Alexander began when local authorities attempted to arrest him on federal charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and a local warrant issued this week. The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were called in after he refused to surrender to local authorities.

Deputies had pulled Alexander over Monday night on Fisher Ferry Road when he ran on foot into nearby woods, leaving behind crystal methamphetamine and a pistol in the car, Pace said. Alexander was tracked to the motor home on Halls Ferry Road early Wednesday.

Pace said that when officers opened the door, Alexander showed a gun and threatened to set off explosives. He said that throughout the standoff that followed, Alexander fired shots, although he did not appear to be aiming at authorities.

Authorities did not return fire and kept using CB radios to communicate with him throughout the day. They had hoped for a peaceful end to the standoff, but around 2:10 p.m., Alexander tossed a small explosive device out the window of the motor home, Pace said.

He stopped responding to negotiators and the explosions followed a half hour later.

“At no time was any decision made for a tactical solution to this,” said Ken Chisholm, resident agent in charge for the Jackson ATF office. “We were prepared to wait until the gentleman did surrender.”

The Vicksburg Fire Department had a fire truck near the scene and responded to the fire at the request of Pace. The agent used to cause the blasts was being investigated by ATF.

James Davidson, 113 Lee Circle, said he was in his living room when he heard the first boom and ran outside. From his porch he could the see the motor home. “The first explosion blew half the roof off the trailer,” Davidson said.

He said he and Alexander became acquainted when Alexander ran The Long Branch Saloon, a nightclub in Delta.

“It’s a bad thing that someone had to die, but I’m glad no one else was hurt,” Davidson said. “I just hope he had time enough to get right with the Lord.”

A long-time friend of Alexander’s, Ray Daumer, said a drug problem may have led to the events that caused Alexander’s death.

“He’s a good person. He would help anyone in the world he just had this spot that had to have dope in it,” Daumer said.

Alexander’s previous convictions included federal drug charges, but he had been released from federal prison in 1995. He had also been convicted in 1991 on local drug charges and sentenced to three years.

Pace said Alexander was wanted on federal gun charges in Mississippi and Louisiana. Some neighbors had also talked about possible drug issues involved with the situation.

“We can’t rule in or rule out the meth lab issue,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Browning with ATF. Distilling or manufacturing methamphetamine sometimes is done in mobile “labs.” Making the drug is increasingly common and involves highly explosive chemicals.

Browning said it was possible a drug lab was in the trailer, but not probable with the size of the motor home and the length of time it was parked there, two or three days.

Alexander was married and had three children, two teenagers who lived in Texas with their mother and an infant daughter. His wife had said earlier in the day that she had not spoken to him since Tuesday night.

Authorities at the scene made the decision Wednesday afternoon not to let his wife speak to Alexander. Other family members at the scene included his brother, George Alexander, and a niece who screamed, “No…he didn’t do that. No…he didn’t do that,” when she learned of his death.

Daumer said Alexander had also worked locally as an electrician.

In all, about 21 federal vehicles left the scene around 3:30 p.m. after the Vicksburg Fire Department put out the fire. That part of Halls Ferry Road had been blocked off all day.

Alexander’s body was taken to Mississippi Mortuary in Pearl for an autopsy. Warren County Coroner John Thomason said the first explosion was probably the cause of death.

Glenwood Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.