ARVADA, Colo. (AP) - A 13-year-old boy who was held hostage for nearly 18 hours was rescued unharmed Tuesday by police who shot and killed his captor.
The unidentified suspect was shot after he went to the front door to retrieve unspecified items left by police negotiators, Arvada police Chief Don Wick said. The SWAT officers immediately rescued the boy. A photo from The Denver Post shows an officer carrying the teen away from the home in a bear hug.
He had said the standoff began in the residential neighborhood north of Denver after police responded to a domestic dispute call involving a man and woman at 5:30 p.m. Monday. The man fled the home, forced his way into a nearby home and took the 13-year-old hostage while he was home alone, police said.
The boy's mother and brother arrived a short time later but were not taken hostage.
Police negotiated with the suspect, and aware that he was watching media reports, released few details during the standoff, other than to say the hostage and suspect didn't know each other. The suspect also called some media outlets with what police described as misinformation.
The Denver Post said the suspect and a friend called the newspaper Monday night but police asked that the content of the conversation not be reported.
The state prisons department said the suspect may be a parolee but police wouldn't confirm that during the standoff.