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Shots Fired In Wytheville Post Office

rob99vmi04

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wylde007 wrote:
Five hostages. I wonder what the headline would be if one of the customers or the employees hadn't been disarmed by the Postmaster and illegal laws?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34577500/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

This story can't be true, aren't PO's Federal property i.e. Gun free zones.

Criminals know that they are not allowed tot bring a gun into a gun free zone and take people hostage, then why does he have a gun in a PO?

You know what we should pass another gun control law.

I sure hope you can sense the sarcasm.

HOPEFULLY you can sense the sarcasm.
 

wylde007

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rob99vmi04 wrote:
This story can't be true, aren't PO's Federal property i.e. Gun free zones.
I was thinking the exact same thing... how could this happen in a GFZ?

Isn't it interesting that more and more criminal activity is occurring of late at places that have decided, of course in the "best interests" of the citizenry, to ban guns?

That has certainly comforted the families of the dead at Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, hasn't it?

Sarcasm processing... ... ... successfully sensed.;)
 

jmelvin

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I think we have one of our own down in this area, BillinVA, if I recall correctly. I hope he's not one of the hostages caught up in this!
 

Repeater

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Who says you don't need a gun in a Post Office?

Five Held Hostage in Wytheville Post Office, Shots Fired

The man claims to have explosives. [align=left]WYTHEVILLE, Va.--According to authorities a man is holding five to six people hostage and he also claims to have explosives. [/align] [align=left]Shots have been fired from the post office, according to people in the area. Police are asking for people in a four block radius to evacuate the area. [/align] [align=left]The situation began around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. According to Mayor Trent Crewe, three of the hostages are employees and no injuries have yet to be reported. [/align] [align=left]The shootings have been confirmed by a state police spokeswoman but there is no confirmation on whether the situation involves explosives or not. [/align] [align=left]A customer that left the Post Office said the suspect is in a wheelchair and has C-4 explosives strapped to his wheel chair. A sheriff's office employee has confirmed that grenades have been found in the suspects truck. the truck is red and has Marine Corps stickers on it. [/align] [align=left]Around 4 p.m. a bomb squad arrived on scene along with a Va. state police helicopter. [/align] [align=left]Deputy Keith Dunagan of the Wythe County Sherriff's department has been in direct communication with the suspect on a cell phone. Also, the suspect is not making any demands and refuses to release his name to authorities. [/align] [align=left]According to police, the gunman has shot out of the post office. they suggest that surrounding buildings should lock their doors and evacuate their businesses if possible. Customers are being turned away by authorities and told to leave the area as well. [/align] [align=left]The Wythe County Community Hospital and Crilion New River Medical Center are on alert to receive possible trauma patients. [/align] [align=left]According to a witness, SWAT and police cars are surrounding the building. [/align] [align=left]The Wytheville Fire Department has set up a truck with lights to prepare for a long standoff into the night. [/align] [align=left]SWAT, Smyth County deputies, Whytheville police, state police, Wythe deputies and the game department are at the scene. [/align]
 

peter nap

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Bill in VA wrote:
jmelvin wrote:
I think we have one of our own down in this area, BillinVA, if I recall correctly. I hope he's not one of the hostages caught up in this!
Yup. I'm in Wytheville.A lot of hoopla going on here but not much else. Tactically, the post office would be a nightmare for one person to defend so I'm surprised the WPD hasn't gotten someone inside to throw a couple of flashbangs and end this. (OTOH, the general consensus around town is that WPD couldn't catch a cold.) Anyways.... My neighbor says he heard on his scanner reports of five hostages (two customers, three employees) and thatMr. Hopefully-Will-Win-a-Dawin-Award claims to have hand grenades. WDBJ7 has some feeds on their web site for anyone interested.

Bill, if you recall, we've both dealt with WPD several times.

I expect the WPD thinks a flash bang is when an exhibitionist gets lucky.
 

HankT

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Repeater wrote:
Who says you don't need a gun in a Post Office?

Five Held Hostage in Wytheville Post Office, Shots Fired

The man claims to have explosives.
[align=left]WYTHEVILLE, Va.--According to authorities a man is holding five to six people hostage and he also claims to have explosives. [/align]
[align=left]Shots have been fired from the post office, according to people in the area. Police are asking for people in a four block radius to evacuate the area. [/align]
[align=left]The situation began around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. According to Mayor Trent Crewe, three of the hostages are employees and no injuries have yet to be reported. [/align]
[align=left]The shootings have been confirmed by a state police spokeswoman but there is no confirmation on whether the situation involves explosives or not. [/align]
[align=left]A customer that left the Post Office said the suspect is in a wheelchair and has C-4 explosives strapped to his wheel chair. A sheriff's office employee has confirmed that grenades have been found in the suspects truck. the truck is red and has Marine Corps stickers on it. [/align]

Sounds like it's worse than the usualgoof with a gun incident...
 

skidmark

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The initial report was of "a man with one leg and a gun." Knowing several folks who fit that description and could possibly be in that area, I started making phone calls to determine if 1) alibis were sound:shock: or 2) alibis were needed.:uhoh: Later the description was updated to say the gunman was in a wheelchair - which significantly reduced the number of folks I know who might bepossibilities. A few more calls and everyone on my list were cleared or otherwise accounted for (Sorry to hear you are in jail, Earl, but at least you won't get blamed for this:lol:).

No matter what's behind this event, the one thing we can be sure of is that the Brady bunch and their cohorts will find a way to say all gun owners are just as likely to do this and thus there ought to be more laws against gun ownership.

Maybe instead of more laws they ought to focus on the punishment. Like imposing triple-secret double probation. (Silly me! That only works against fraternaties in the movies!)

stay safe.

skidmark
 

HankT

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Hostage standoff at post office is over


December 24, 2009

December 23, 2009 11:32 p.m. EST
CNN) -- An eight-hour hostage standoff ended late Wednesday when an armed, disabled man wheeled himself out of a Virginia post office and was taken into custody, according to the mayor of Wytheville.

Initially, authorities reported five people -- three postal workers and two customers -- were taken hostage after a man entered a Wytheville, Virginia, post office about 2:30 p.m. and fired a gun. But Mayor Trent Crewe said police later believed the gunman was holding fewer than five people and that they have accounted for people they thought could have been inside.

"Apparently they ran as it was unfolding and we didn't know that for a while," Crewe said.

An unidentified witness told CNN affiliate WDBJ that he, a fellow window clerk and the postmaster were in the building when the gunman entered, but they quickly fled. He added that his supervisor was one of the hostages.

Crewe said he did not know exactly how many hostages had been in the building.

No one was reported hurt, Crewe said.

The gunman is disabled, Crewe said, adding that police told him the gunman entered the post office pushing a wheelchair. It was unclear what the purpose of the wheelchair is, Crewe said.

There were reports the man had a "device," and it appeared that his car, parked outside the office, was equipped with some type of device as well, Crewe said. He did not elaborate on what the device could be.

"The police authorities have told me they are acting on the assumption there is an explosive device of some kind in some location," Crewe said. "There is a bomb squad, in fact more than one bomb squad on site, but we cannot confirm any explosives."

The surrounding area of downtown Wytheville has been evacuated within a three- to four-block radius, Crewe said.

The suspect asked for pizza but made no other demands, U.S. Postal Inspection Service spokesman Peter Rendina said.

The gunman's motive was unclear, Crewe said. He had not identified himself but he has told police he has a military background, Crewe said. Police have yet to confirm whether the gunman has military training, Crewe said.

Agents with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also on scene, Crewe said.

Wytheville is a small town in southwestern Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has a population of just over 8,000.


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

nova

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wylde007 wrote:
Some real winners posting over at the "local" news site:

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

In case anyone isn't sure, I'm posting as "Confederate Son". The antis apparently have quite a foothold out in Dancaseyland.
probably the universities around that region...they draw quite the crowd :?

*yes I know there are good people who are at those universities, I'm just generalizing of course.
 

HankT

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wylde007 wrote:
Some real winners posting over at the "local" news site:

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

In case anyone isn't sure, I'm posting as "Confederate Son". The antis apparently have quite a foothold out in Dancaseyland.



I don't blame the antis (or the pros) for getting riled up. The guy seems like a goof with a gun. We'll find out for sure.

Gawd, how do these goofs get and hold their guns????

It would definitely have been better for some friend or family of "Gator" Taylor to take his pistol away from him. I mean, he got some free pizza out of the deal, but he's hosed.

I love the notion of surrendering to a robot, though. That's slick.






Wytheville post office hostage crisis over - one-legged Warren 'Gator' Taylor surrenders: cops
By Michael Sheridan
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Thursday, December 24th 2009, 2:15 AM

alg_hostage_robot.jpg


Helber/APSuspect Warren Taylor, of Sullivan County Tenn., lies on the ground after surrendering to a robot.


A gunman with a wheelchair who turned the Christmas holiday into a frightful ordeal for a small community in western Virginia has surrendered, police say.

According to police, Walter "Gator" Taylor of Tennessee exited the post office late Wednesday night in his wheelchair after keeping local law enforcement at bay for nine hours. Three hostages also emerged from the building.

FBI and state police negotiators convinced the suspect to surrender, CNN reports.

Taylor - who is missing one leg and wears a prosthetic - entered the post office Wednesday afternoon with a black duffle bag, said Wythe County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan. He then fired a gun, kicking off the hostage situation.

It was initially reported that there were five hostages. However, it was later determined that only three people were inside after several others escaped.

According to Dunagan, Taylor's only demand was for pizza. His motive for the incident remains unclear.


http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/12/23/2009-12-23_wytheville_post_office_under_seige_wheelchairbound_gunman_armed_with_explosives_.html
 

ProShooter

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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............

Taylor's only demand was for pizza.



Its not detonation, its DiGiorno!
 
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