Alleged al-Qaeda Gunman Shot in Hostage Drama

Thursday, September 18, 2003

(6:18 AM ET)

Reuters

Police earlier dismissed Kilpatrick's assertion that he was a member of al-Qaeda, the group led by Osama bin Laden that is blamed for the September 11 attacks.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Reuters
A gunman who took a college class hostage on Wednesday with a plan to shoot someone and then himself was shot dead by police after he wounded two of the hostages, authorities said.

Neither of the hostages suffered life-threatening injuries in the violent conclusion to the nine-hour standoff at Dyersburg Community College in western Tennessee. Upon hearing the gunshots, police broke into the classroom and killed 26-year-old Harold Kilpatrick Junior.

Kilpatrick, who had no connection to the school, had been due to appear in court on Wednesday in Memphis, 120km south-west of Dyersburg, for an assault on his girlfriend. Police said he had a history of violence and had written a note saying he planned to shoot someone and then himself.

Several of the roughly dozen student hostages told police during the standoff that the gunman appeared to be suicidal. Kilpatrick had allowed three hostages out of the mathematics class, but had been refusing to negotiate with police or talk to his sister, with whom he had been staying in Dyersburg.
(More: Independent OnLine News)
2003 © Reuters’ Ltd.

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