VA - 3 Hostages Being Held Inside Post Office 12/23/09

Sharedspirit · Dec 23, 2009

MSNBC is reporting that hostages have been able to contact family. And that the man pushed in the wheelchair and the explosives are strapped to his body.

5 held hostage at rural Virginia post office

Police said in a press release that the man entered pushing a wheelchair but the purpose of the chair is not known.

Earlier reports said he was in a wheelchair.

Shots were fired earlier, but there were no reports of injuries. Relatives say the hostages have been able to contact them by phone. .

Virginia State Police sent in a SWAT team and a bomb technician, and police at the scene told the Wytheville Enterprise the man had five pounds of a common plastic explosive strapped to his chest. State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller would not confirm that.

KaylynnCouture · Dec 23, 2009

Latest update..

The gunman has allowed his hostages to receive food tonight. Police apparently delivered the food to a door of the post office. News 7 has also learned that the gunman walked into the post office around 2:30 this afternoon pushing a wheelchair.

http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=11723885

Also at the link, one of the hostages has been identified. It says the gunman is allowing the hostages to call their families.

Kimberlyd125 · Dec 23, 2009

http://www2.wsls.com/sls/News/local...stage_situation_in_wytheville/70438/#comments

Snipped:

Wythe Co. Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan says there are fewer than the original five or six hostages believed to be inside the post office. Dunagan would not say what led investigators to believe that are now fewer hostages.

ETA: I guess the local chatter/rumor of deaths and injuries was false. Thank God.

Sharedspirit · Dec 23, 2009

Hostage situation Breaking News

Wythe Co. Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan says there are fewer than the original five or six hostages believed to be inside the post office. Dunagan would not say what led investigators to believe that are now fewer hostages.

Sharedspirit · Dec 23, 2009

Has anyone see a pic of the red truck posted? I wish this would end soon.

oceanblueeyes · Dec 23, 2009

Kimberlyd125 said:
http://www2.wsls.com/sls/News/local...stage_situation_in_wytheville/70438/#comments

Snipped:

Wythe Co. Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan says there are fewer than the original five or six hostages believed to be inside the post office. Dunagan would not say what led investigators to believe that are now fewer hostages.

ETA: I guess the local chatter/rumor of deaths and injuries was false. Thank God.

8:37 p.m.

From Ashley Roberts, in the field
WSLS Reporter
aroberts@wsls.com

Wythe Co. Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan says there are fewer than the original five or six hostages believed to be inside the post office. Dunagan would not say what led investigators to believe that are now fewer hostages.

Dunagan added that officers have confirmed that one of the hostage is an employee at the post office, and that the suspect has allowed a couple of the hostages to call their families to tell them they are OK.

Dunagan says the suspect still has not told officers what his name is, but is claiming to be a veteran of the Marine Corps, and not from Wytheville. Officers believe a red truck at the scene is the suspect’s.

http://www2.wsls.com/sls/News/local...ws_hostage_situation_in_wytheville/70438/P10/

Kimberlyd125 · Dec 23, 2009

Update from same site posted above.

9:14 p.m.

From Ashley Roberts, in the field
WSLS Reporter
aroberts@wsls.com

Wythe Co. Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan says the suspect claims he has two bombs, but he sounds calm and even joked about his food arrivng late.

Kimberlyd125 · Dec 23, 2009

Joking about food coming late?

I don't know what to say. At least he's not really angry and acting nutz.

Please Lord, let this end soon and safely.

KaylynnCouture · Dec 23, 2009

PLEASE let these hostages, all these law enforcement and SWAT team members, and everyone at the scene go home safely to be with their families during the holiday season.

This guy needs to give up. This is ridiculous and I don't understand what he's accomplishing by doing this.

oceanblueeyes · Dec 23, 2009

Kimberlyd125 said:
Update from same site posted above.

9:14 p.m.

From Ashley Roberts, in the field
WSLS Reporter
aroberts@wsls.com

Wythe Co. Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan says the suspect claims he has two bombs, but he sounds calm and even joked about his food arriving late.

That sort of bothers me. We have no idea what he is thinking but he knows what he is going to do. He knows right now if he is going to let those people go are not. I feel chilled that he let a couple of them call their families. Why not all of them? If he is a military vet he knows he is in deep chit since the post office is a federal establishment. So imo, he has nothing to lose but a long prison time.

I think he is toying with these officers. He knows the bombs inside and out in his vehicle have LE at his beckoning move.

I don't like the real calm ones. They may be cold and methodical and are calling the shots when and how this will end.

imo

Sharedspirit · Dec 23, 2009

No description of the man that I can find.

oceanblueeyes · Dec 23, 2009

Sharedspirit said:
No description of the man that I can find.

All I read was he told LE he is a disabled veteran and had been in the Marine Corps but no age or what he looks like. Wouldn't surprise me if bomb making was his MOS in the Corps.

imo

Starry Night · Dec 23, 2009

So far so good-nothing has escalated...I am praying this hostage-taker gets weary...and the families of the rest involved get some peace. Wish they had put something in the pizza lol. (sorry-not a time to joke -but hey!)

oceanblueeyes · Dec 23, 2009

Starry Night said:
So far so good-nothing has escalated...I am praying this hostage-taker gets weary...and the families of the rest involved get some peace. Wish they had put something in the pizza lol. (sorry-not a time to joke -but hey!)

It is such a risky situation LE has found themselves in.

Even if he falls asleep eventually they don't know if he has got it rigged where the bomb will detonate when they grab him.

Another strange thing. They said he WALKED in pushing the wheelchair :waitasec: but now he is sitting in the chair I suppose. Why? Somehow the wheelchair may be part of the bomb mechanism.

I just pray this ends well and peaceful but then I wish we knew why he is doing this. I wonder what his beef is? He sure must have one but he doesn't seem to be asking for anyone other than talking the FBI and the bomb team. Maybe he is telling them not to get stupid and try to dismantle the bomb.

imo

Starry Night · Dec 23, 2009

Thank you for correcting me to the gravity of the situation via details.....that is professional experience speaking surely. On to what his reason is.....at this point we can only hope that some human being can talk him down. Will take a negotiator of veteran issues etc.

Kimberlyd125 · Dec 23, 2009

10:31 p.m.

From Ashley Roberts, in the field
WSLS Reporter
aroberts@wsls.com

Two ambulances have driven up near the post office. Police are not saying why they have been brought here.

Starry Night · Dec 23, 2009

Am sending a prayer request to my nuns in Alabama........

Starry Night · Dec 23, 2009

Done. Praying constantly for good outcome.

smart blonde · Dec 23, 2009

I feel so badly for the hostages (and their loved ones).

Imagine, just doing a last minute errand right before Christmas- just a quick run into the post office to send off a package... and something like this happening.

fhc · Dec 23, 2009

10:58 p.m.

(AP) - Man walks out of post office with hands raised after hostage standoff; no word on identity.http://www2.wsls.com/sls/News/local...ws_hostage_situation_in_wytheville/70438/P10/

VA - 3 Hostages Being Held Inside Post Office 12/23/09

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