Hostage Situation in Trulit

06122010 Echo
1407h
*Over TAC Dispatch Radio*
"ALERT. Hostage situation. Armed Suspect. See 06122010Echo for details. Respond code 3"
*Over Police Radio*
"All units be adivsed, we have a hostage situation at the Trulit Bank. TSD on scene securing perimeter, Requesting Two patrols respond. Be advsied TAC enroute."
*Over EMS Dispatch*
"Requesting Supervisor and BLS respond to Trulit Bank to stage for medical at a bank robberyw ith hostages. At least one armed suspect present."

*Over General Emergency Band*
Shots fired, trulit bank, injured hostages. See 06122010echo for details. Respond additional PCs, ALS-1 and EDRC-1 Code 3

"Supervisor 1, Riles Responding Code 3 to scene" I say over my mobile as I run from my break at Starbucks in Phoxlind Commerce District.
'Sorry ma'am, got a call' I say to the cashier as I leave a five, grab my coffee and make a go for my car.

I get in, flick on the lights and blast teh siren as I pull out of the parking lot and on to the road.
"ETA 17 minutes to scene. Leaving PHoxlind Commerce now" I say to COPA to inform them of my whereabouts

I pull up on the scene, get out think to myself, "are these the same criminal group that raided ERT complex." I get out the stertcher with the moniter and starter kit on it. I pull out a stethoscope hoping that none of them are going to need an emergency operation. "ALS 1 on scene, staging."

"UMC-1 is on scene and will have ERT PD command"
I kill the engine and grab my rain coat out of my passenger seat. I get out of the car putting on the coat and walk up to the sheriff. It sure is a cold night and it looks like its going to get colder.
Me:'Hello sir I'm Corporal Linda so whats our situation'
Sheriff:'Well possible 4 suspects and they may have shot someone I sent one of my deputies to see what he could see safely we should get some info soon.'
Me:'Alright sir what do you want officers to assist with? We also have our EMT's en route'
Sheriff:'Assist with crowd control at the moment'
Me:'Will do sir I will have command until my sergeant gets here'

"UMC-1 to Supervisor Riles I am on scene over here with the Sheriffs I will let you know when the scene is safe"

"6 is arriving"

'hey halls, what going on here?'

"Rodger that ES-1, Thanks for the heads up. Rodger that Linda, establish PD command. Ridgeback that is still currently unknown." I say through the COPA Radio.

"Burke, do you want me to start a security camera feed from the bank and re-route it to the Scene?"

Walks over to Libor
'alright you have command, this is Sheriff Ken Macdonald and he filled me in, 4 suspects possibly 1 victim down. Nothing else is known just yet. EMT staff is staging. HE asked if we could just be crowd control for now.'

10-4. any other in coming patrols slow to code 2. Tac and ems on reds.

'Tried it and failed, shut down by force it appears... Useless all around. These guys know their stuff.'
"All ERT PD, please pull into the back area. TSD can handle perimeter. I need you guys and your cars in for their view from their cameras."

**Bridwell pulls the RRT up near the perimeter. I get out with him and - once again - look at the equipment. Our ballistic shield is there, and we will be able to load our weapons with either non-lethal or lethal ammunition. We also have flash grenades and our bullhorn. We might need it.**

'Bridwell, who's in command, and should we try to negotiate?'

'Sure DC"

((Bridwell is in command, he's the TAC OIC, and negotiations come after scene assesment please. ))

((Understood, but Bridwell is seldom online.))

**I look over the building. The Trulit Bank is a simple one-story structure. It has a main set of double doors in the front; the doors are probably a bulletproof polycarbonate, as is the glass in front of the tellers' counter. I decide to contact the county administrator to get the blueprints. I go over to the sheriff to talk to him while I wait for a response.**

Me: 'Sherrif? I'm 2nd Lieutenant Bucello, ERT TAC. My CO is 1st Lieutenant Bridwell. He's the one standing with the assault rifle by the perimeter.'
Sheriff: 'Well, we need someone to begin negotiations. I already spoke to one of your officers, and there's at least one person injured inside. We believe there are four of them, but we don't know where they are, or where the hostages are being held.'
Me: 'Alright, sir. We'll probably be setting up some sort of command area, so you will be kept informed of everything our dispatch knows.'
Sheriff: 'Sure thing.'

**I walk back, hoping that the blueprints won't be too slow in coming.**

((The only one trained in negotiations is yours truly.. I can pop by if you so desire to take care of it, ))
"see if you can't get some kinda view on th whole thing to make an assualt... Drop off a cell once we have inital view done... I'll call in then to talk to someone in charge, see if we can't get that victim out"

"We're still awaiting blueprints to plan the assault. Anyone trained to negotiate should be here, only if it doesn't interfere with any other things (like dispatching)."

* As I approach the perimeter,I decide to do a U-turn, and back the car in to have easier access to the supplies in the back. I pick a spot next to ALS-1, shut down the engine, and switch the lights off.
"EDRC on scene, staging with EMS." I says over the car radio before picking up the portable set, and putting on the Doctor jacket over my scrubs. I have to fight the urge to run. The sense of urgency if overwhelming, and the adrenaline is flowing. This is it, this is a real emergency, with the possibility of actual people with actual life threatening injuries.

Thinking that the paramedics and EMTs are probably bringing their trauma bags and oxygen, I decide to take the emergency surgery bag, drugs bag, and the EKG/Defib and portable ultrasound bag. The latter is not so much a single bag, as the EKG/Difib bag zip stripsed to the ultrasound bag. The whole kit is heavy and bulky, so I hope I won't have to run too far. Feeling slightly more like an overloaded hotel porter then an emergency doctor, I walk over to ALS-1, spotting a paramedic with a stretcher ready (Ridgeback).
'Hey, mind if I load this on there as well? Any news on the situation yet?'

*I come to a stop, near ALS-1, press the 'Master' button again to shut off the lights, then press another button that lets the ambulance idle without keys in the ignition. I take the keys out, and clip it onto a belt loop.*

"EMS-1's out."

*I step out, walk to the other side and grab the jump bag from a cabinet, then walk back to the cab, drop it outside the driver door, then step in and take a seat, leaving the door open until the scene is safe.*

**The EAT makes a sound and I go over to it. The blueprints have been sent.**



**I draft up a plan of where I suspect the hostages and gunmen to be.**

"Looks good to me entry team... Attempt to initialize contact with an ERT phone, I'll contact suspect and figure out what he wants."

"Understood."

**I consider the logistics of how to get the phone to the hostage takers. If I throw it, it will look like a grenade to them. If I walk up to them, they'll probably try to gun me down. It doesn't seem like we have any RC devices to drive the phone up to them. I decide to take the spare tire out of the RRT truck and tie the phone to the side. I roll it with both hands, looking slightly ridiculous, but knowing that it will probably work. The tire rolls into the glass door, and a masked man opens the door.**

"One suspect is in sight. Looks like some sort of pistol - no, it's a machine pistol, probably a Skorpion."

**Another masked man exits.**

"Another suspect walked out. Same type of weapon."

**They look at the tire; one laughs. They find the phone and press the green button.**

"They have the phone. It looks like they're going back to the waiting area of the bank."

"Rodger That Jamie" I say through the Radio, while watching the situation unfold from my desk.

I decide to tell DC myself that the ERT phone was received Suspects. I walk over to where Burke is......

"DC, the phone was received by the suspects successfully. Anything you want me to do?"

'handle the logistics there, I've got a call to make'

I call the cellular
'this is District Commssioner Burke of the Emergency Response Team, who am i speaking with'
'Jon, you can call me Jon, no H'
'Alright, Jon, I want to solve this here with no one else getting hurt. One of the TRulit Sherrifs told me that they repotred gun shots and someone is wounded. Is this true?'
'Yes. She tried to run, I shot her in the arm'
'Listen Jon, I want to make a deal right away with you. I can send in two sherrif deputies, wearing no arms of any sort to carry out that victim on an orange backboard to be treated and in exchange, I can order my teams to stand back while we negotiate'
'Right to business now aren't you? Guess you didn't earn those stripes playing boring.'
'Jon, I need to know you're okay with this'
'Yeah, sure wahtever, she's just making a mess anyways. but if anyone comes in and tries anything, I kill everyone. No threats whatsoever. You have six minutes Burke, then that's it for her, and you don't get her anymore. Oh and as for my demands, I need to talk to the Phoxlind Chief Planner for permits.'
He hangs up the phone before I can respond.

'Jesus Mitch, you hear that? We're gonna be here for a while. I'll call out to the teams, you go down to the Phoxlind City office... Take your POV incase I need COPA M-1 to head over to negotiate. Lemme know when you have him.'

I radio out the orders for rescuing the hostage

**As I wait for orders, I draw up a possible plan for a rescue operation and send it via the EAT.**



**As I send the draft plan, I hear the report of the hostage takers' conditions. I get very anxious, as I'm not sure how willing the hostage takers are to find common ground, and we will probably be ordered in.**

* I see two Deputies removing the guns from their belts, and move carefully towards the front door of the bank carrying a backboard. I put on a pair of gloves, and turn to Ridgeback. 'Here we go. I think we should just get the victim inside your ambulance right away. Should be safer, and it feels like it's starting to rain. Wet clothes and blood loss in this temperature isn't a very good combination.'

* After what feels like an eternity the two men emerge from the bank again, carrying a woman on the back board between them. I take the bags and equipment from the stretcher and put it in the ambulance, and roll the stretcher all the way up to the police barrier. The deputies load the victim on it, and take out the backboard.
'Hello ma'am, my name is Michael, I'm one of the doctors from the ERT hospital. We're going to take good care of you. What's your name?' I ask as we roll the stretcher towards the ambulance.
'Gina...Gina Lum.'
'Well Gina, we're just going to get you into that ambulance over there, and we'll have a look at that arm of yours.'

* I help loading the stretcher into the ambulance, and jump in myself, closing the doors behind me. She has a black, long armed sweater on, and the right upper arm is soaked with blood. I grab a scissor and split the sweater arm all the way up to the shoulder.
'Doesn't look too bad actually. Exit wound in front, entrance in the back, seems to have missed the artery and bone. Mind putting her on IV saline and oxygen? And get a BP too please.'
* I dress the wound with some trauma dressing and bandage.

'Kaizer, what kind of bullet wound are we looking at? We need some idea of the weapons that they have.'

"COPA, a review of the entry plan is needed."

* I turn as Bucello's head appears in the door.
'Definitely low velocity, or we would see a lot more tissue damage. So we're looking at handguns, machine pistols or submachine guns. You could check with the two deputies that brought her out if they saw anything. The victim is stable, awake and alert as well, so you can ask her if she feels up to it.'

"Jesus, Another Long call it looks like. Sure I can go down now, Do you mind if I get something to eat one the way, I'm starving! I'll take my portable radio if you need to contact me. I'll be back soon, CYA."

I clip my radio on to my belt, grab my keys and start to walk down to where my POV is. "Now which parking spot did I park it in? Ah, that one." I chuckle as I unlock my car. "What should I get to eat, Maybe a cheese burger and a drink from McDonalds. Yea, that's what I'll get."

I start the car, open the gate from the complex and drive down the main road.

"Alright heres the oxygen and IV" I say to Kaizer. Her BP is a little low but nothing showing shock. When the IV is inserted the BP instantly rises. I take a pulse ox and take other vitals. I start to hear sirens and get worried about the hostages but then I realize it's just Mitch in COPA M1."I don't think we'll need morphine. Also do you want to ride with her to the hospital or do you want us to handle it?"

"Until more information is gathered on the weapons used and the suspects, lets focus on negotiatons. Right now main priorty is being placed on making contact with the hostage takers."

"COPA, can you see if you can get a live feed from one of the cameras inside the bank??"

'Bridwell, COPA already said that the cameras could not be accessed remotely because the gunmen hijacked the system. I suppose we could try again.'

"Can we keep the ambulance here for about a minute? I'd like to talk to the victim."

**I get aboard the ambulance before it leaves.**

Me: 'Ma'am? Are you able to tak to me?'
Victim: 'I can talk.'
Me: 'I'm a police officer, OK? I'm just going to ask about what happened inside of the bank.'
Victim: 'Well, four guys walked in and I heard screaming. They shot at the ceiling and I got scared, so I tried to run into a back room, but they followed me and I got shot.'
Me: 'What kind of guns did they have? Small ones, big ones...?'
Victim: 'They all had guns you could hold in one hand, but they weren't pistols. They were shooting so fast.'
Me: 'How many other hostages are there?'
Victim: 'Well, there were three people in line with me and there was only one teller, but there might have been someone else.'
Me: 'Where did they take the hostages?'
Victim: 'They were yelling at them to go to the back. I don't know; I've never been behind the bank counter.'
Me: 'Thank you so much. This is very helpful.'

**I get out.**

"Victim reports four hostage takers and around five hostages, give or take. The hostages are behind the banking counter. All are armed with machine pistols or SMGs according to the description."

"Understood TAC, please standby as I make contact again regarding their first request. Shouldn't be too long I don't think."

I look down to my screen to see the time... Mitch should be rolling off compound shortly, so it shouldn't be mch longer... I figure in about 10 minutes he'll be there

I just finish dispatching fire to mitch.
"Bridwell, we've got a problem, mitch was jsut in an accident and couldn't get our man. Set up a team to enter, you may use two patrol officers in gear to bring up the rear and stand by"

I call the planner and arrange for him to talk to the hostage takers

'Alright, Jon? I've got the city planner on the line. Do you want to talk to him?'
'No, I was just seeing what you'd do for me.'
I mutter to myself, calling him a bastard.
'Alright Jon, well you just lost some ground with me. You know you could have just killed three people there with that horse and pony dance you just made us do?'
'And I care why?'
'You don't, but here's the thing, it's impossible for you to win. you should know by now, we aren't going to give up and you're in a middle state, there is no way you can flee the country, so you have three options, the only one looking good for you is giving up.'
'Cause jail is my first choice'
''Well then what do you want?'I say a little flared up from his ignorance
'seventeen million dollars, cash, to top on the three I got here. I want two black vans and a nice good set of hoods for these guys, then I want you all to f*ck off to somewhere in this dumb town while we leave... If you mess with us? I'll blow up a van, killing all but two hostages. You have 4 hours, then I start torturing the hostages.'
17 million... I can spare 5 mil in tagged bills, but the rest will take 5 hours. The vans? I saw a lot of them on the way into work today...
'Alright Jon, How about this, Give me an hour and I can get you a van and five million. Another hour or two, I'll get you another 5, then the other 7. But with these payments, I want a hostage for each payment.'
'Fair enough, but I want a deputy from before to deliver the cash. Park the vans out front. Two people in orange jumpsuits.'

I relay information along to the teams and hope to god he doesn't shoot a deputy

**I call over two of the ERT guys and Bridwell.**

'Okay, have a good look at this map. Everyone ought to be in raid gear right now, alright? I need one of you guys to throw the diversion flashbang...here. When you do that, we'll go in immediately, and then you to will be on standby. Okay?'

**They nod yes.**

'Bridwell, you or COPA can call off the plan at any time. We're moving on the right flank of the building, low and slow, out of their line of sight.'

**I move into position, passing outside of the bank's line of sight. My UMP45 has been loaded with lethal ammunition; I can't afford to take any chances with four well-armed gunmen in an enclosed area.**

"COPA, on your mark, we will execute the plan I've outlined in the EAT (see post no. 23). I have Bridwell behind me. One of the officers will throw the diversion grenade. The other is on standby. They all have their gear. We are standing by for your order."

"stand by for arrival of vans and order"

*whisper* "Understood. We're staying silent and out of sight. All members of raid team and standby team, stay in cover and be quiet."

((Forgot about the ERT guys that already showed up. Sorry!))

* I finish dressing the wound, and run a neurological assessment just to be sure.
'I don't think we'll need morphine. Also do you want to ride with her to the hospital or do you want us to handle it?' Ridgeback says, just as I finish.
* I take off the gloves and throw them in the trash can.
'Nah, no need. Just a flesh wound. No significant vascular damage, good distal pulse, no neurological defects... Hell, I think a certified first aider would be sufficient to treat and transport this one. I'll stay on scene.'
* I get up and grab my gear.
'Who knows, one of the cops might skin their knee.' I say jokingly, and jump out of the ambulance. It's still raining, but no more then a light drizzle. I load my gear back in the EDRC, and take a seat on the rear bumper, using the door as shelter.
"EDRC to COPA, one in transit to ERT hospital. Minor GSW. Do you want me to stick around?"

"copa- how big of a van do you think we can get?? I don't feel a breach of the bank should be our first option."

*whisper* 'Bridwell, if you think the plan is too dangerous, we'll pull back and revise it.'

I have Kaizer get off the ambulance and I drive to the hospital and when I pull up I wheel the victim into the hospital hand the report to the nurse and she wheels him into the trauma bay."ALS 1 transported one victim to the hospital no major injuries" I then change the sheets and clean and restock. I go back to the scene and go to Kaizer. "I hope Mitch is alright" I say to Kaizer hoping he is alright, ecspecally after seeing the MICU pass by and that scared me.

"Van should be big enough for then, a breach is last option. I've got an eye on the scene from here"

I watch as a deputy walks to the door, completely unarmed to deliver a payment in exchange for the hostage. Wow, this is going well.
He takes the hostage and hands her off to a team of officers waiting to accept her, I'm assuming for medicals and statements.
The gunshot goes silently on my video only camera, but the picture shows it all. The deputy's forehead blows open as he falls, spattering blood, skull pieces and brain matter all over the window. I manage to get a quick photo to run of the shooter.

"Shots Fired Shots Fired" Goes over the radio, followed by officer down, appearing DOA. Move move move, shoot to kill"
I look back to see the gunmen retreated far inside the building from our view.

The image comes back as Jon Landers, a former bank employee, pissed off over a job loss threatened action. Is now holding hostage with unknowns...

"Units, rescue the officer, there is a chance of survivial. Victim may have hidden injuries to occupy us. TAC escort. All ERT Police please gear up now to assist with the rear. We need a tactical entry now. Check EAT for info"

EAT
The building plans show poor ventilation. Jon Landers is the former manager, so he knows the building well, probably including lock codes, however he also knows the front door is the only way out in this poorly vented building. Gas it, clear this area. Any other options you have please report, but suspect is too violent to attemp negotiations with anymore.
Attached is a personnel file for Landers


I call jon one last time.
'What the f*ck do you want?'
'What the hell was that, you just pretty much killed an officer out of cold blood, because you los your job. Why Mr. Landers. Why. You ahve a family, and you just blew it all away. You have one last cahnce to surrender. We will consider meeting your demands still, but you just blew up a lot of chances for me to help you.'
'And so did you, you just lost 2 hours. So you have only... look 44 minutes. Good Luck Mr. Director. Enjoy the blood of all these hostages.'


I transmit this last call over EAT as well. I messed up and this is my problem now. I grab my TAC gear and throw it on. I'm going to the scene, either to help my men, or die trying. I'm slightly more protected so if I go in, I'm going in last still though..

"Bridwell. Holdoff for 10 minutes, I'm coming in, you'll still have final say on entry, but this is my mess, I'm helping you in cleaning up today."

*I grab my gear and check my guns as I now want to kill the fuc*ing idiot*

"All availble police, code 3 to scene, shots fired, shots fired! Come with gear ready."

*I walk over to tac*

hey so whats the plan. I got the basics of the plan, but anything else?'

*whisper* 'Libor, one person will throw a diversionary flashbang at the front entrance and we IMMEDIATELY breach. On Bridwell's orders, we enter. Single fire only, we don't want any hostages dead.'

**I get on the radio.**

"COPA, we're awaiting your arrival. Bless your soul, sir. If you've seen the plan, join up with us at the right side of the bank. Stay in cover. Shoot to incapacitate or to kill, sir?"

"Copy that, I should be here soon, I'm in the unmarked. They don't need to know I'm here. I'll join up the rear, I used to do TAC, so I know my stuff, I'm not just some old bag of bones here."

*whisper* "Understood, sir. What are the rules of engagement?"

'Shoot at them until they are deamed not a threat.'

"Understood."

**I look behind me at the emergency presence outside of the bank. There's a bunch of deputies and federal agents behind the police barrier. The flashing lights seem brighter as the sun starts to go down. There's another glow coming from the TV lights; another media circus following the ERT.**

I reach in my vehicle grab my shot gun and head over to where Sergeant Libor is.

*i pull up,tires squealing. i grab the shotgun and stealth run to Libor.* 'Libor, what do you want me to do?'

Z. Ridgeback wrote:I go back to the scene and go to Kaizer. "I hope Mitch is alright" I say to Kaizer hoping he is alright, ecspecally after seeing the MICU pass by and that scared me.

* I nod. 'Yeah, sounds like a bad crash. Feel like I should be there, not here.'
* I see more and more police arrive on scene. The TAC guys seem to be getting ready for...something.
'But, we may get enough to do here.' I say to Ridgeback, pointing in the direction of the TAC officers.

*I arrive at the scene on the same place as EMS is stationed. I can see ALS-1 and Kaizer's vehicle parked, Kaizer himself and Ridgeback preparing their equipement for the oncoming tactical strike. I drive through the barricades after a sheriff deputy remove one of the sawhorse blockades so I can fit my car trough, and park over by the PD staging area.
I see a lot of officers already present, the TAC team is there along with officers Linda, Libor, Stabler and a few other from various agencies. This is the biggest scene I've been to, even bigger than the drug deal aftermath!
I park my car and shut off the engine, unlocking and bringing my shotgun with me as I exit. Pausing only to lock the doors and attach the keys to my belt loop, I jog over to the assembly point where the tactics are being discussed. I listen in and try to get a grip on what to do while checking my shotgun and sidearm...*