Alabama Hostage Standoff Enters Sixth Day

posted 3 Feb 2013, 09:00 by Sam Mbale [ updated 3 Feb 2013, 09:00 ]

Alabama's hostage standoff continues for a sixth day as the the town of Midland City prepares to bury the school bus driver killed by the suspected gunman before he abducted a 5-year-old boy.

MIDLAND CITY, ALABAMA, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 3, 2013) (REUTERS) - The hostage standoff crisis in the small town of Midland City, Alabamacontinued for a sixth day on Sunday (February 3) as the community prepared to bury the bus driver killed by the suspected gunman.

The suspect, Jimmy Lee Dykes, fatally shot school bus driver Charles Albert Poland Jr., on Tuesday (January 29), before abducting a 5-year old boy from the bus and holding him in an underground bunker.

Sheriff Wally Olson thanked Dykes on Saturday (February 02) for "taking care of our child" and for allowing police to send medicine, toys, coloring blocks, and potato chips to the boy.

A law enforcement official, who refused to be identified, said he believed Dykes did have access to local tv news, which was why negotiations with the Vietnam war veteran remained shrouded in secrecy.

The funeral for Poland is scheduled for 1500 EDT/2000GMT on Sunday.

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