Posted on 06/02/2005 6:58:07 AM PDT by Pharmboy
SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (AP) - Police stormed a convenience store Thursday, freeing a woman held hostage for 20 hours and killing the suspect in an exchange of gunfire, authorities said. Police managed to pull the woman away from the store at about 6:30 a.m. even as the gunman was shooting from inside the building, state police 1st Sgt. Dave Bursten said.
"They were able to grab the hostage and pull her to safety as gunfire continued and officers returned fire, ultimately resulting the death of the suspect," Bursten said.
Negotiators had made arrangements for the woman to come to the door of the Bigfoot store under the pretense of being handed a new telephone, with officers hoping to grab her, Bursten said.
Shortly before that was to happen, the gunman broke off communication for 10-15 seconds, then shots were heard from inside the store, Bursten said. SWAT team members then went into the store.
The gunman was Dennis McAninch, 34, of Cincinnati, his brother, John McAninch, told reporters at the scene. Authorities did not immediately confirm that identification.
The standoff began Wednesday morning after officers pursued a car on Interstate 74 carrying two men they suspected of burglary about 30 miles away in the southeastern Indiana town of Batesville.
The man pulled into the store parking lot about 25 miles southeast of Indianapolis, firing at officers as he dashed into the store and took the woman hostage. No one was injured by the initial shots as customers fled, abandoning their vehicles at the gas pumps.
Police negotiators had worked overnight trying to persuade the man to surrender. Authorities had also talked with the hostage, whom Bursten said was "in good spirits, under the circumstances."
So much for waiting it out..........
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050601/NEWS01/506020399
State Police First Sgt. David Bursten said police had no plans to force an end to the ordeal, which began just before 11 a.m.
"We're not going to rush it," Bursten told reporters outside the Bigfoot station on Ind. 44 near I-74. "Time is on our side."
Noting that Atlanta police waited 57 hours for a man perched on top of crane to surrender, Bursten added, "We're going to keep talking as long as we need to."
Apparently you didn't read the part about the perp cutting off communications and opening fire.
Yeah I read it, after I posted......
....I thunder that comment! Great going officers!!!
I understand. Been there, done that.
An aside: The woman involved has 7 kids. Thank God the good guys won this battle.
(Full disclosure - this happened in my hometown)
LEO ping...
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