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CNN Live At Daybreak

Connecticut Hostage Standoff Ends Peacefully

Aired February 13, 2002 - 06:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A seven-hour hostage standoff at a Connecticut college ended peacefully late last night when the suspect surrendered to police. Police say a Fairfield University graduate took as many as 22 students and a professor hostage on a second floor classroom of a campus building. Suspect who claimed to have a bomb released hostages in groups during negotiations with authorities and finally he surrendered.

MAYOR KEN FLATTO, FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT: We are so thankful the response of our emergency services, this police department and fire department, the state police and the FBI has been incredible. We are so happy this had a safe ending, that all the hostages are safe and sound and unharmed, and that this individual through negotiation saw fit with these negotiators to surrender, and we are so thankful this university is safe. This is a great institution. This is a safe institution, and this is hopefully a once in a lifetime, never to be seen, but this community is thankful that we have a peaceful ending.

COSTELLO: No word on the suspect's motivation, but the wire is reporting this morning that his former roommate said he spoke of being a member of the Aryan Nation and Nazism and one of the hostages said he just wanted to get his point across. He will likely face a number of felony charges this morning.

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