Wisconsin school hostage taker dies

Wisconsin school hostage taker dies

2010-12-01 03:01:52 GMT+7 (ICT)

MARINETTE, WISCONSIN (BNO NEWS) -- The armed teenage gunman who shot himself at Marinette High School in Marinette, Wisconsin on Monday evening after holding two dozen hostages for more than four hours, died on Tuesday morning, officials said.

"The student who held classmates hostage yesterday passed away at 10:44 am today. He has been identified as Samuel O. Hengel, age 15, of rural Porterfield," said Kathy Frank, a spokeswoman for the Marinette County Emergency Management office.

Police on Monday responded to the school after a 911 call was received at 3.48 p.m. local time, stating that a 15-year-old male student had taken several students and a female teacher hostage inside a classroom.

One student was allowed to leave at approximately 3:40 pm when the high school principal checked on the classroom.

Hours later, at around 7.40 p.m. local time, five students were able to escape after convincing the gunman that they needed to use the bathroom. Soon after, at 8.03 p.m. local time, law enforcement personnel stormed the building after three shots were heard.

Officials later said that the gunman was not firing at students or himself but were unable to say what he did fire at. When officers approached him, however, he turned the gun on himself.

Two hand guns were recovered at the scene as well as shell casings from both weapons. Students reported that the suspect had fired a weapon in the classroom before law enforcement arrived.

"Remaining students and the teacher were evacuated safely," said Frank. "Law enforcement continues to investigate the incident," she added.

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