Man sentenced to nearly 300 years for using his 2 Ga. toddlers as ‘human shields’ during standoff

BURKE COUNTY, Ga. — A Maryland man who was convicted of 25 charges has been sentenced for his role in a standoff that occurred in Burke County in Nov. 2022.

On Nov. 16, 2022, Burke County deputies said a woman reported that she’d escaped from an apartment in Waynesboro where she was assaulted by her ex Kevin McCardell, then 33.

The woman said McCardell was still in the home with the 1-year-old and 2-year-old children she shares with him.

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The woman also told deputies that McCardell had outstanding felony warrants stemming from another domestic violence incident in June and that he was facing charges of attempted murder and assault.

Deputies went to the apartment to check on the children around 8:40 p.m. When they got there, deputies say McCardell met them at the door holding both children in his arms, then shot at deputies twice.

Deputies shot back at him and McCardell barricaded himself inside the apartment and shot at deputies again.

Negotiators tried to persuade him out of the apartment for several hours while the children were still inside. When McCardell came to the door several hours later, he was “using the children as a human shield” and pointing a gun at SWAT teams.

An officer was able to shoot McCardell in the leg and rescue the children. No one else was hurt.

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On Thursday, McCardell was convicted of 25 charges including, four counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, five counts of a firearm during the commission of a felony, two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree for barricading minor children inside of the home during an armed standoff.

He was sentenced to 291 years in prison.

Sheriff Alfonzo Williams thanked those involved in the case.

“I would also like to thank the deputies on scene that evening for their bravery and professionalism, as well as our SRT members who were called in to leave their families and ultimately help bring a volatile situation to an end,” Williams said.

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