Police say man opened fire, then kidnapped woman, 4 children in Indiana

Saturday, January 20th 2007, 7:42 pm

By: News On 6

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) _ A gunman shot a man and held several people hostage for about nine hours Saturday before forcing a woman and her four children into a car and fleeing, police said.

Elkhart police issued an Amber Alert said the children and their mother were in extreme danger.

Police were looking for Jerry D. White, 30, who they believe abducted 31-year-old Kimberly N. Walker and the children after the shooting in the northern Indiana city. The children range in age from 16 months to 9 years old, authorities said.

Police said a woman called at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday to report that her boyfriend had been shot overnight. Officers were told that the shooter held several people hostage and wouldn't let anyone call for help. The woman was able to call authorities shortly after Walker and her children were forced into a vehicle, police said.

The wounded man was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, police said.