5 held hostage at rural Virginia post office

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

held hostage at rural Virginia post office
The Associated Press
Posted: 12/23/2009 12:52:22 PM PST
Updated: 12/23/2009 12:52:23 PM PST


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

The situation began at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. The suspect has not been identified. Wytheville is in western Virginia.



Read more: http://www.contracostatimes.com/nation-world/ci_14057547

[Judi Lynn]

1. Small update: 5 held hostage at Virginia post office

5 held hostage at Virginia post office
By the Associated Press
December 23, 2009

WYTHEVILLE, Va. - Authorities in Wytheville (WITH-vill) are dealing with a hostage situation at the town's post office, and Virginia State Police have responded with a SWAT team and bomb technician.

Mayor Trent Crewe says five hostages are inside the building, including three employees and two customers. Shots have been fired, but Crewe says no injuries have been reported.

The situation began at about 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The suspect has not been identified.

A state police spokeswoman confirmed the shooting, but could not confirm whether the situation involves the threat of explosives.

Wytheville is the county seat of Wythe County, a southwest Virginia locality with fewer than 30,000 people.

http://www.wtvr.com/news/dp-va--hostagesituation-1223dec23,0,273727.story

[clear eye]

2. Do they know if it's a personal thing w/ an employee

or if this is someone's way of striking at the gov't?

[Abq_Sarah]

3. At the government?

Postal workers aren't government employees.

[Judi Lynn]

7. They are federal employees, paid by the U.S. government. n/t

[Abq_Sarah]

12. They are not federal employees.

They are not paid by the US Government.

[TwixVoy]

15. Uh yes they are....

and killing one carries the same punishment as killing any other federal worker.... which is much more extreme than a non-federal employee.

[Occulus]

20. I'm a postal worker. I am a federal employee.

YOU don't know what you're talking about.

[Judi Lynn]

4. BREAKING NEWS: Gunman holds hostages in Wytheville Post Office

BREAKING NEWS: Gunman holds hostages in Wytheville Post Office
By Jeffrey Simmons
Published: December 23, 2009

The sound of cascading sirens mixed with the sharp report of multiple gunshots Wednesday afternoon as an armed man, reportedly strapped with explosives, shut down Main Street and other roads surrounding the Wytheville Post Office.

According to police on the scene, the man had five hostages and five pounds of C-4, a common plastic explosive, strapped to his wheelchair. Officers on the scene were encouraging the man to contact a hostage negotiator through 911.

Postal worker Walt Korndorfer said there was at least one hostage in the builiding. Supervisor Margie Austin, he said, was unaccounted for. The post master, he said, was out of the building when the shooting started.

Korndorfer said he was in his office, to the side of the Main Street building, figuring out newspaper postage reports when he heard shots and a co-worker ran past. He followed suit, running from the building and down Main Street, where he helped police block and redirect taffic in the early moments of the standoff.

Town police had blocked off a three-block square perimeter as officers outside the post office crouched behind vehicles, rifles at the ready. Police were working with the fire department and other agencies to evacuate Main Street just before 3 p.m. By quarter till four, a bomb squad had arrived and Virginia State Police had a helicopter in the air, circling downtown Wytheville. 911 operators around 3:45 p.m. advised employees at nearby businesses to get out of the buildings surrounding the post office.

A customer who was leaving the post office as the gunman entered, said he was in a wheelchair and driving a red truck with Marine Corps stickers. She reported that he had fired at police and had hand grenades. A sheriff’s office employee confirmed that there were grenades on the man’s truck.

http://www.swvatoday.com/news/article/breaking_news_gunman_holds_hostages_in_wytheville_post_office/6539/

[AngryAmish]

5. How did they disarm the employees?

[WriteDown]

6. Been through Wytheville many times.....

Nice little town.

[HopeHoops]

8. We had a family reunion there some years back. My late grandmother's homestead is there.

I've got a lot of family in the area. Does anyone know if there's a local news source with a streaming Internet feed (radio or TV)?

[WriteDown]

19. That is beautiful country. nt

[X_Digger]

10. My family used to live just down the road..

.. in Speedwell.

[WriteDown]

18. Its been about 15 years since I've been there....

but I seem to remember a restaurant on Main Street or some main road that I used to like. Like a diner or something. Wish I could remember the name.

[superconnected]

9. Looks like their still being held hostage.

[jus_the_facts]

11. Was just checkin' back to see if there were any updates on this story...

....guess not? :shrug:

[Judi Lynn]

13. Man in wheelchair with bomb holds 5 hostage at Va. post office (no change, yet)

Dec 23, 2009
Man in wheelchair with bomb holds 5 hostage at Va. post office

http://i.usatoday.net.nyud.net:8090/communitymanager/_photos/on-deadline/2009/12/23/hostagesx-wide-community.jpg

A man in a wheelchair with plastic explosives strapped to his chest is holding five hostages in a post office in a small town in southwestern Virginia, officials and news media are reporting.


Three blocks of downtown Wytheville were evacuated this afternoon. Several shots were heard, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The Wytheville Enterprise reports that the gunman has 5 pounds of C-4 plastic explosives, enough to "take out the whole block," a witness said, quoting a police officer.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2009/12/man-in-wheelchair-with-bomb-holds-5-hostage-at-va-post-office/1

[depakid]

14. Some hostages escape from Virginia post office

Some hostages escaped a Virginia post office where a disabled man held them prisoner for more than six hours Wednesday, according to the town's mayor.

Mayor Trent Crewe said he did not know how many hostages were left in the building.

Five people -- three postal workers and two customers -- were taken hostage after a man entered the Wytheville, Virginia, post office about 2:30 p.m. and fired a shot, Crewe said.

Virginia State Police Sgt. Michael Conroy told CNN affiliate WVVA that multiple shots were fired. No one was reported hurt, Crewe said

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/12/23/virginia.post.office.hostage/

[Withywindle]

16. UPDATE: Hostages released, suspect in custody. No reported injuries.

Roanoke Times: http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/breaking/wb/230692


Thank the Gods. This hits close to home - I'm from Carroll County, not far away.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Glad to hear this is over, with no injuries. Thank you, Withywindle. n/t

[Socal31]

21. Not good.

I'm having a 90's flashback.


Stay safe.