DETROIT – A woman who was held hostage has been released by a gunman from a northwest Detroit home on Tuesday afternoon.
Update Sept. 16, 2020: Two-day standoff at Detroit home ends after gunman kills himself
According to police, a gunman took a man and woman hostage inside the home early Tuesday morning.
The home is in the 15000 block of Iliad Street near Fenkell and Telegraph roads. Police said they tried to pull over the gunman at about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday in Redford Township, but he took off. He is considered a suspect in a triple homicide that happened in June, police said.
He fired a shot Tuesday morning before entering the home in Detroit, police said. Original reports stated the man fired at officers, but police later clarified he did not fire directly at officers -- he just fired a shot.
The man also called 911 to say he had guns and hostages inside the home. He threatened to kill them, and himself, if police make a move.
Officers have surrounded the area since Tuesday morning.
Police said the man does live at the home, so it’s unclear if he had to break in.
‘We are dealing with a very dangerous person’
Detroit Police Chief James Craig held a media briefing outside the home about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and said the man has threatened to kill the hostages and himself if police were to try to enter the home. He’s also made threats against police officers, Craig said.
Chief provides update on the barricade gunman situation on the city’s west side.
Posted by Detroit Police Department on Tuesday, September 15, 2020
It’s unclear if the hostages are in real danger, but police are taking the man’s threats seriously.
“We’ll wait him out, we’ll be patient, as always in these instances,” Craig said. “We are dealing with a very dangerous person with him.”
Police say the man may have been under the influence of meth and alcohol. He also told police he was suffering from mental illness. Craig said them man was the member of a biker gang and allegedly took the life of another former or current member of the gang, something he knows he is wanted in connection with.
“He acknowledged that he is a suspect in those crimes," Craig said.
Stay with Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit as we share updates on this developing story.
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