Shooting Suspect Takes Hostages In Bank Shortly After Sheriff's Deputy Attacked

Thursday, June 21st 2007, 12:54 pm

By: News On 6

ARCOLA, Ill. (AP) _ Authorities surrounded a bank in this tiny farm community Thursday after a suspect in the shooting of a sheriff's deputy holed up inside with an unknown number of hostages.

Illinois State Police Sgt. Tim Ellis said the situation developed after two men being chased by police crashed their vehicle. One was taken into custody, but the other fled into the nearby bank, Ellis said.

He confirmed that there were hostages inside the First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust, but he did not know how many.

The deputy was shot Thursday morning on a county road about 10 miles from the bank.

A Douglas County Sheriff's spokeswoman said Chief Deputy Tommy Martin was shot in the face. He was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, where he was in stable condition, according State Police.

In Arcola, a helicopter hovered over the bank, and dozens of police officers from the sheriff's office, the State Police, and nearby communities guarded the scene.

Workers at hardware store across from the bank locked their doors and took cover when the standoff began around 10:45 a.m., bookkeeper Debra McGrew said.

She said State Police and the sheriff's vehicles were parked all around the bank.

``They're just trying to get the situation contained,'' she said. ``They're trying to take care of it the best they can.''

Arcola, about 150 miles south of Chicago, has about 2,600 residents. It is home to an Old Order Amish settlement and horse-drawn buggies are a common sight.

``These things happen in big cities, not a little town like Arcola,'' said McGrew. ``You don't think it will happen in your town.''