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Journalism of Courage
TEXAS, Dec 18: An armed man held adults and children hostage at a day-care centre after trying to rob someone outside a bank a few blocks away. There were no reports of shots fired or injuries.
Authorities refused to say how many people were inside the building or release any other details on Wednesday. Police spokesman Carl Duke said the suspect released several hostages at 6:30 pm, about three hours after the crisis began, but he wouldn’t say how many.
Several parents whose children were involved in the stand-off told mediapersons that the gunman was an area resident whose wife worked at the centre. The couple were in the midst of a divorce, the parents said. The gunman had just robbed or attempted to rob a customer outside the Plano Bank and Trust, then went to the Rigsbee Child Development Centre in East Plano, Duke said.
Bank senior vice president June Rossetti said a customer was approached in a parking lot and ordered to withdraw money. The bank is a few blocks from the day care centre. Rossetti said it was uncertain whether funds were actually withdrawn. Officers established telephone contact with the suspect and were negotiating with him, Duke said. He wouldn’t say if the suspect was making any demands.
Live TV reports showed police officers carrying some children away from the building soon after the stand-off began. They were taken to a nearby elementary school, where dozens of frantic parents rushed to see if their children were among the freed.
