Breaking: 5 held hostage at rural Virginia post office

Breaking: 5 held hostage at rural Virginia post office

www.google.com

WYTHEVILLE, Va. — Authorities say as many as five people are being held hostage at a post office in a small town in Virginia.

Wytheville (WITH-ville) Mayor Trent Crewe says five people are inside the building, including three employees and two customers. Crewe says shots have been fired but no injuries have been reported.

Virginia State Police have responded with a SWAT team and bomb technician. A spokeswoman confirmed shots have been fired but could not say whether explosives were involved.

The situation began about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Wytheville is the county seat of Wythe County

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I hope this doesn't end up bad. I heard this on the radio before looking this up on the internet.

On the radio they said something about a guy with an artificial leg was in the post office shooting one person and holding 5 people hostage.

Will let you know more as the news breaks...

Tis the Season!!!

Desperate people do desperate things. Just hope everyone is okay during this stressful situation.

www.google.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Someone has gone "postal". It's about time someone helps legitimize that term again.

When ever I hear stories like this I imagine it's somebody (secret agent/jason borne/sarah connor) on the run from "they" that got cornered - then they create a huge cover story making it seem like the person is crazy.

Then again, probably just some nut job ticked off that his Net Flix DVD didn't show up on time.

I bet he was rushing in to drop-off last minute letters to Santa and when he was heard saying "I hope these arent too late to get to Santa in time" an individual in line laughed and said "you know there's no Santa, right?"

Local News with updates:

Source:

UPDATE: Deputy Keith Dunagn of the Wythe County Sheriff's department has been in direct communication with the suspect on the cellphone. Dunagan says there are potentially five to six hostages. He says the suspect in not making any demands, but he refuses to tell authorities is name. UPDATE: A helicoper is now on standby at Spiller Elementary School in downtown Wytheville. A local store manager tells News 7 that he has been asked by local police to evacuate his business. An employee in the ABC store across the street says police told them a gunman was shooting out of post office and that they should lock their doors and stay away from the windows. The officer told customers who were trying to enter the store to run back to their vehicles and leave the area. Both the Wythe County Community Hospital and Carilion New River Medical Center have been put on alert to possibly receive trauma patients. A witness says police cars have surrounded the post office and a SWAT team has arrived.

Heard about this when I was at work. . . some claims have been that the guy is strapped with C4 as well as being armed.

wow, glad I'm not in wytheville right now

Why a post office? Makes me wonder what his demands are.... free postage for the rest of his life (in jail)? lol

That is, ABSOLUTELY, it!!!!! Im using FedEX from now on.

Seriously though, this guy is a effin retard. I know stamps are expensive but sheesh.

MessOnTheFED!

Well, if one person in the post office had a Concealed Carry Permit and a gun, this situation could have been resolved quickly. Or does Virginia allow handgun carrying? Anyway just my thoughts. Its going to be to the point in a few years your going to have to tote a gun with you everywhere you go.

This is horrible. I hope everyone gets out alright. I wonder why a post office though? Is there anything in the way of large sums of money or records of where people live? an ex spouse perhaps? Anyone have any ideas as to what the reason holding hostages at post office would be?

I hope this isn't a case of someone feeling like they have no outs in life and is threatening peoples lives in hopes he gets killed by the police or something.

Heard on the radio that this guy is a former disgruntled Postal employee, tragic, also hope everyone is okay, bring back memories of the shootings here in Royal Oak in the nineties, think 6-7 people were killed including my mailman.

reply to post by Aquarius1

Thanks for the update. I can't imagine being so distraught or angered at a former employer to want to endanger the lives of other people over it. I've had my fair share of problems, including an illegal layoff but thankfully the WSIB got involved and helped me out.

The lack of demands and a name is disconcerting. To my ignorant mind it seems as if the chap didn't have a plan past taking the hostages. Maybe he was looking for his boss or someone that he percieved wrong him and they weren't there? I dunno but I hope this doesn't end badly.

Fox just reported the dude is in a wheel chair with expolsives strapped to his chest.

My guess is that he will demand a reinvestigation
of the 911 tragedies

[edit on 23-12-2009 by Donny 4 million]

I figured I would go to the local news to get an update on the unfortunate people being held hostage.

Unfortunately... this is still ongoing. The guy apparently walked in... pushing the wheelchair and has said that he has military experience with explosives... although, they are not sure if explosives are being used. It's amazing that this started at 14:30hrs and is still going on.

The guy won't give his name to police, but he has let the hostages call their family.

I just hope this ends peacefully. Thoughts and prayers are with all the hostages.

I think we are missing something about this story. You know the old saying.

"Location, Location, Location."

This is all happening at a POST OFFICE. A Federal building, and if this guy is former military or a vet, then we should be able to put 2 and 2 together to get a better perspective on where he is coming from.

So far nobody has been hurt. Maybe he wants attention?

I don't know, maybe he is just crazy. I wonder what he is trying to draw attention to? Hmm?

Originally posted by Cigar
Why a post office? Makes me wonder what his demands are.... free postage for the rest of his life (in jail)? lol

Any crime committed in or against a U.S. Post Office is a Federal Offence. Federal Prisons offer nicer incarceration accommodations, better food, recreation and entertainment, and legitimate income opportunities while interned.

If you ever want to take three months off, have a decent roof over your head, have no money, but would like to eat fairly decently and get lots of recreation opportunities just throw a brick through a Post Office Window and call the police.

This might not be why this person chose a post office but believe it or not this is something a certain class of elderly, habitual, and institutionalized style offenders love to do.

Hopefully everything turns out well for everyone involved.

Originally posted by Donny 4 million
My guess is that he will demand a reinvestigation
of the 911 tragedies

Nope, apparently he just demanded a pizza.


I too hope no one is hurt from this, but I can't say I would disagree with the message that yes, 9/11 does need serious re-investigation, many subpoenas be issued and much unreleased evidence be finally released. Too bad this guy isn't using his opportunity to stress that message, huh?

Instead, like I mentioned, apparently his only demand was for a pizza.

something doesn't sound right about this...
you don't just click add C4 to your Amazon Shopping cart...

Very strictly controlled. Explosives authorisation and End User Certificate required before they let you in the store... plus what ever other local permits are required.... Dynamite you can still get as a land owner, places will let you walk in fill out a few forms and your good... but C4 is a whole different ball game.

Unless Virginia has really loose laws regarding explosives

I think Fox just said it was over.