Louisiana Hostage Situation

[Jolie Rouge]

Dead hostage-taker told authorities there was a device in his head
August 14, 2013 3:04 AM by Trey Schmaltz



ST. JOSEPH- A hostage has died after gun fire erupted inside a bank that became a national crime scene in northeast Louisiana Tuesday.

Authorities said one of three people taken hostage by Fuaed Abdo Ahmed, 20, died from a gunshot wound inflicted by Ahmed. A second hostage was also shot by Ahmed as Louisiana State Police agents stormed the bank in the quiet, rural Louisiana town overnight. They are in critical condition at a central Louisiana hospital. One hostage was a woman, the other a man, but authorities did not release which one had died.

A third hostage, a female, was uninjured since she was released hours before the situation turned violent.

All three hostages worked at the bank.

Col. Mike Edmonson, the superintendent of the state's police force, said Ahmed had no desire to rob the bank. His plan was to inflict harm, he said in a telephone interview with WBRZ News 2 early Wednesday morning.

"His desire was to inflict pain... to ultimately kill people," Edmonson said.

Edmonson said Ahmed had a list of demands, including help removing a device in his head. Agents made the decision to go inside the bank when Ahmed said his deadline was approaching and he was going to kill the hostages. As authorities entered the bank, Ahmed shot the two remaining hostages. Ahmed was shot by police and died.

Investigators said they found a book about hostage negotiating and other things at Ahmed's apartment in the Tensas Parish town that painted a gruesome picture about what he was planning. There were also concerns about his Facebook profile, where he recently posted a cartoon of someone taking hostages and another computer generated photo of someone diving in front of a tank. State Police said investigators had reviewed the site.

Crime scene experts remain at the bank on Plank Road near the town's downtown, piecing together what transpired.

The ordeal began about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and ended around midnight Wednesday, nearly twelve hours after beginning.

Edmonson believes Ahmed selected the Tensas State Bank randomly and had no specific reason as to who he selected as hostages.

Authorities said Ahmed was American-born and had family in St. Joseph, who owned a convenience store near the bank.

St. Joseph is a town of about 1,100 along the banks of the Mississippi River about 133 miles from Baton Rouge.

State Police expect to issue a full report sometime Wednesday morning.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/dead-hostag...e-in-his-head/

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[Jolie Rouge]

One of the two people who were taken hostage in a Louisiana bank has died. The second victim is still hospitalized in critical condition. Officials say the gunman was a paranoid schizophrenic. They believe his mental illness is responsible for the attack. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those lives lost in this tragedy.

http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/crimetra...ntified-one-ho

[Jolie Rouge]

UPDATE: Col. Mike Edmundson with the Louisiana State Police has confirmed that the second hostage, Ledean McDaniel, was removed from life support. She died roughly 1 hour ago. She was placed in critical condition shortly after midnight on Wednesday after she was held hostage for roughly 12-hours in the bank where she worked. Our hearts go out to her family and friends.

http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/crimetra...age-from-tensa