This could get real ugly.
Orlando hostage shot by police sniper
July 25, 2000
Web posted at: 8:14 p.m. EDT (0014 GMT)
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/07/25/florida.hostages.02/index.html
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- A police sniper fired the shot that killed a woman being held hostage by a murder suspect during a three-day standoff, authorities said Tuesday.
The sniper was aiming for hostage-taker Jamie Dean Petron when Andrea Hall, 40, was hit, said Orlando Police Chief Jerry Demings.
Demings would not discuss details of the shooting, which the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.
The Orlando police officer who fired the shot, Christopher J. Savard, 34, an eight-year veteran who had been a certified sniper for more than two years, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.
Demings said the department expressed its condolences to Hall's family.
Several of Hall's relatives spent the day at the medical examiner's office and took the news hard, said Carl Hall, the victim's ex-husband.
"They are a very close family, very religious," he said. "She was a good woman."
Petron told police negotiators on Sunday afternoon that they shot someone when the sniper fired into the home, but authorities said he refused to let them into the house or release the injured hostage.
Demings said Petron also threatened to hurt the other hostages, children ranging in ages from about 8 months to 16 years old, if authorities tried to enter the home.
Store shooting led to hostage situation
The crime spree leading to the three-day hostage standoff began Friday, 200 miles to the south in Pompano Beach. Authorities there say Petron killed Jorge Trillos, 22, a store clerk, and wounded store owner Samir Hantash, 48. Hantash was hospitalized Monday in critical condition.
Orange County authorities were watching for Petron because he had a brother living in the area.
Police were on their way to the brother's house Saturday when a deputy spotted Petron and his car and tried to arrest him. He allegedly shot the officer in the thigh and fled to a nearby residential neighborhood less than 10 miles from Walt Disney World.
At the Meadow Woods subdivision, Thelma Mills was standing in her garage when Petron drove up and jumped out of the car armed with a semiautomatic .40-caliber handgun, authorities said.
Mills fled, but Petron stormed into the house and shot at her 28-year-old son, Norman West, police said. A bullet grazed West's head but he escaped.
Left inside were 40-year-old Andrea Hall, her 16-year-old niece, 8-year-old son, infant daughter and infant grandniece. Hall and Mills were sisters.
Petron spoke with negotiators, but police said they were concerned because of his broken promises and lack of demands. On Sunday, a police sharpshooter fired into the home but missed Petron.
Later that day, Petron released Nicholas Hall, 8, and his 11-month-old sister, Nicole. Petron had said he would free the others after the tape of a statement he made was aired on television.
But Hall, Althea Mills, 16, and 9-month-old Daniquea Akoon remained in the house until Monday.
On the tape, Petron said he didn't mean to hurt anyone.
"All I can say is deep in my heart I am really apologetic. Don't think I'm the devil. I'm not the devil," he said.
Petron committed suicide Monday afternoon, 51 hours after rushing into the family's home.
Althea Mills and the infant were found unharmed huddled inside a walk-in closet in the same room with the suspect's body. .
Records show Petron, a 41-year-old auto mechanic, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1986 for attempted first-degree murder, forgery and battery on a law enforcement officer. He was released from prison in 1995.
"My heart is breaking but a part of me is glad it's over," Evelyn Betheil, Petron's maternal grandmother, told The Miami Herald. "He did some really bad things and had to die."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Orlando hostage shot by police sniper
July 25, 2000
Web posted at: 8:14 p.m. EDT (0014 GMT)
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/07/25/florida.hostages.02/index.html
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- A police sniper fired the shot that killed a woman being held hostage by a murder suspect during a three-day standoff, authorities said Tuesday.
The sniper was aiming for hostage-taker Jamie Dean Petron when Andrea Hall, 40, was hit, said Orlando Police Chief Jerry Demings.
Demings would not discuss details of the shooting, which the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.
The Orlando police officer who fired the shot, Christopher J. Savard, 34, an eight-year veteran who had been a certified sniper for more than two years, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.
Demings said the department expressed its condolences to Hall's family.
Several of Hall's relatives spent the day at the medical examiner's office and took the news hard, said Carl Hall, the victim's ex-husband.
"They are a very close family, very religious," he said. "She was a good woman."
Petron told police negotiators on Sunday afternoon that they shot someone when the sniper fired into the home, but authorities said he refused to let them into the house or release the injured hostage.
Demings said Petron also threatened to hurt the other hostages, children ranging in ages from about 8 months to 16 years old, if authorities tried to enter the home.
Store shooting led to hostage situation
The crime spree leading to the three-day hostage standoff began Friday, 200 miles to the south in Pompano Beach. Authorities there say Petron killed Jorge Trillos, 22, a store clerk, and wounded store owner Samir Hantash, 48. Hantash was hospitalized Monday in critical condition.
Orange County authorities were watching for Petron because he had a brother living in the area.
Police were on their way to the brother's house Saturday when a deputy spotted Petron and his car and tried to arrest him. He allegedly shot the officer in the thigh and fled to a nearby residential neighborhood less than 10 miles from Walt Disney World.
At the Meadow Woods subdivision, Thelma Mills was standing in her garage when Petron drove up and jumped out of the car armed with a semiautomatic .40-caliber handgun, authorities said.
Mills fled, but Petron stormed into the house and shot at her 28-year-old son, Norman West, police said. A bullet grazed West's head but he escaped.
Left inside were 40-year-old Andrea Hall, her 16-year-old niece, 8-year-old son, infant daughter and infant grandniece. Hall and Mills were sisters.
Petron spoke with negotiators, but police said they were concerned because of his broken promises and lack of demands. On Sunday, a police sharpshooter fired into the home but missed Petron.
Later that day, Petron released Nicholas Hall, 8, and his 11-month-old sister, Nicole. Petron had said he would free the others after the tape of a statement he made was aired on television.
But Hall, Althea Mills, 16, and 9-month-old Daniquea Akoon remained in the house until Monday.
On the tape, Petron said he didn't mean to hurt anyone.
"All I can say is deep in my heart I am really apologetic. Don't think I'm the devil. I'm not the devil," he said.
Petron committed suicide Monday afternoon, 51 hours after rushing into the family's home.
Althea Mills and the infant were found unharmed huddled inside a walk-in closet in the same room with the suspect's body. .
Records show Petron, a 41-year-old auto mechanic, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1986 for attempted first-degree murder, forgery and battery on a law enforcement officer. He was released from prison in 1995.
"My heart is breaking but a part of me is glad it's over," Evelyn Betheil, Petron's maternal grandmother, told The Miami Herald. "He did some really bad things and had to die."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
