CrazyCowboy
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ARCOLA, Ill. — A bank manager being held hostage Thursday by an armed shooting suspect told FOX News that three other hostages had been let go, but he, two employees and his grandfather — a customer — were still being held in the central Illinois bank.
Brad Pullen, who said the hostage taker asked him to speak with FOX News, said no one had been harmed and could not specify with what the hostage taker was armed.
Illinois State Police Sgt. Tim Ellis said the situation developed after two men being chased by police crashed their car. One fled into the bank. The driver, who police identified as Kareem Brown, was taken into custody.
Ellis confirmed that there were hostages in the bank, but he did not know how many.
The shooting occurred Thursday morning on a county road about 10 miles from First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust, where the hostages were being held.
A Douglas County Sheriff's spokeswoman said Chief Deputy Tommy Martin was shot in the face.
Martin was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, hospital spokesman Allison McLaughlin said. Both were listed as stable but critical condition.
(Story continues below)
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The bank is located across the street from the Arcola True Value hardware store, and bookkeeper Debra McGrew said she was inside the store with about 8 other employees and customers.
She said there were a number of cars belonging to State Police and the sheriff's department parked all around the bank. She saw little activity and no crime tape set up outside the bank.
"They're just trying to get the situation contained," she said. "They're trying to take care of it the best they can."
While police didn't tell them the hardware staff they had to stay inside, no employees or customers had left since the standoff began at about 10:45 a.m., said McGrew, whose brother owns the store.
"We decided we'd be much safer just to lock the store and not to jeopardize the safety of our customers in the store," she said. "Their safety was our biggest concern."
Authorities had blocked off several roads in the Arcola area, according to WAND-TV.
Arcola, about 150 miles south of Chicago, has about 2,600 residents. It is home to an Old Order Amish settlement. The rural area features Amish homes, business and schools, and horse drawn buggies are a common sight.
"These things happen in big cities, not a little town like Arcola," said McGrew. "You don't think it will happen in your town."
Brad Pullen, who said the hostage taker asked him to speak with FOX News, said no one had been harmed and could not specify with what the hostage taker was armed.
Illinois State Police Sgt. Tim Ellis said the situation developed after two men being chased by police crashed their car. One fled into the bank. The driver, who police identified as Kareem Brown, was taken into custody.
Ellis confirmed that there were hostages in the bank, but he did not know how many.
The shooting occurred Thursday morning on a county road about 10 miles from First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust, where the hostages were being held.
A Douglas County Sheriff's spokeswoman said Chief Deputy Tommy Martin was shot in the face.
Martin was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, hospital spokesman Allison McLaughlin said. Both were listed as stable but critical condition.
(Story continues below)
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The bank is located across the street from the Arcola True Value hardware store, and bookkeeper Debra McGrew said she was inside the store with about 8 other employees and customers.
She said there were a number of cars belonging to State Police and the sheriff's department parked all around the bank. She saw little activity and no crime tape set up outside the bank.
"They're just trying to get the situation contained," she said. "They're trying to take care of it the best they can."
While police didn't tell them the hardware staff they had to stay inside, no employees or customers had left since the standoff began at about 10:45 a.m., said McGrew, whose brother owns the store.
"We decided we'd be much safer just to lock the store and not to jeopardize the safety of our customers in the store," she said. "Their safety was our biggest concern."
Authorities had blocked off several roads in the Arcola area, according to WAND-TV.
Arcola, about 150 miles south of Chicago, has about 2,600 residents. It is home to an Old Order Amish settlement. The rural area features Amish homes, business and schools, and horse drawn buggies are a common sight.
"These things happen in big cities, not a little town like Arcola," said McGrew. "You don't think it will happen in your town."
