Suspect in Custody in Montco Firehouse Hostage Situation
An officer walks out of the LaMott Fire Company after police escorted a man away, Tuesday, March 31, 2015, in Elkins Park, Pa. Authorities say a former volunteer firefighter held four firefighters hostage at the Philadelphia-area firehouse before surrendering to police. No injuries were reported.
Reports of a hostage standoff in Montgomery County started coming in a little before 11 this morning.
#breaking Armed Hostage Situation- Cheltenham Twp, Montco. Lamott Fire Co. 3 hostages in the basement.
— PhillyFireNews (@PhillyFireNews) March 31, 2015
Now NBC 10 is reporting that a former volunteer firefighter, approximately 30 years old, is in custody after taking four firefighters hostage at the LaMott Fire House in Elkins Park this morning. According to Cheltenham Township police chief John Norris, the as-yet-unidentified suspect had been in a dispute with the fire company that had led to his dismissal. He’d reportedly taken four hostages initially, though one was let go fairly quickly.
According to Norris, before police received the call, the suspect had fired a shot into the wall, adding, however, that no one was injured in the approximately hourlong standoff.
The Intelligencer reports that the suspect was terminated by the LaMott Fire Co. on Monday, adding:
According to police and emergency radio reports, the man, armed with a handgun, entered the firehouse, at 7600 Penrose Ave., about 10:40 a.m. Tuesday and took four male firefighters hostage in firehouse basement. One of the hostages was soon released and hostage negotiators convinced the suspect to release the others after the more than one hour standoff, the police chief said. An investigation determined that the gunman fired one shot into a wall at the firehouse, the chief said.
