Gunman's Family Is Helping Negotiators, Police Said

POSTED: 12:34 pm CST November 23, 2006


CHICAGO -- Two women were taken hostage inside their Chicago apartment building early Thursday, sparking a police standoff that stretched more than 10 hours on Thanksgiving.

The women were being held by a gunman in his 20s or 30s who fired at police at least once, and officers were negotiating with the suspect by phone, police spokeswoman Monique Bond said.

"We don't actually know what precipitated it," Bond said. "Time's on our side in situations like this. Hopefully it'll be resolved soon and the outcome will be a safe one."


Bond said the man's family was on the scene helping police negotiators.

The standoff in the city's South Shore neighborhood began about 2 a.m. after a 911 call about gunshots in the building. The police department's hostage barricade terrorist team responded, and officers surrounded the three-flat building, police said.

No injuries were reported, Bond said. She described the female hostages as young adults, but did not know their ages or relationship to the gunman.



a..dayumm!!!!

The holidays bring out the crazies.