Criminal Justice
Lawyer & Staff Allegedly Held Hostage in Kan. Office Before Gunman Gives Up
Posted Feb 20, 2009, 11:53 am CST
By Martha Neil
Following a seven-hour standoff, a suspect who allegedly initially held an attorney and office staff hostage, after he entered a Hutchinson, Kan., law office armed with a .25-caliber handgun, was arrested and charged last night.
Attorney David Holmes and his staff reportedly were released within an hour of when the incident began, at around noon yesterday. Police eventually flushed the suspect, 31-year-old Nathan Cunningham of Hutchinson, out of the office with tear gas, reports the Fort Mill Times.
According to court records, Cunningham's wife filed for a restraining order on Wednesday, the newspaper article says. It doesn't say whether Holmes represented her.
However, the KNSS radio station reports that Hutchinson's wife is an employee at the law firm. The station says Hutchinson allegedly was armed with two guns.
Following his arrest, at about 7 p.m., Hutchinson was charged with kidnapping, aggravated burglary, stalking and five other counts, reports the CW Channel. He is now jailed in lieu of $500,000 bond.
Updated at 12:16 p.m. to correct typographical error.