Police chief speaking now. Suspect dead at the scene. Three hostages, all safe.
Suspect reportedly shot; hostages safe. What a dramatic situation.
Rodrick Dantzler, the suspect in the slaying of seven people in Grand Rapids Thursday afternoon, allegedly began his violent rampage by shooting the driver of a pickup truck in the nose during a traffic jam near Godfrey and Grandville.
But the bullet richocheted off the man’s nose because he had a titanium plate in it following treatment for cancer as a child.
That is one lucky man.
At the scene of the Grand Rapids shooting: A police sharpshooter watches the Rickman Ave. home where Rodrick Dantzler is believed to have a hostage. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press)
Nearly 10,000 people are listening to this police scanner on UStream — which also covers numerous other police departments in Kent County (so it’s not only focused on the shooting right now). The situation is extremely tense — the suspect in the Grand Rapids shooting along with the hostage, are surrounded in a tight area of the house. It is extremely dramatic to listen to. The man has a a gun with a large magazine and recently asked for a lighter.
Grand Rapids shooting suspect reportedly snorting a substance, threatening suicide. Also of note: There is a police scanner available if you’d like to follow this story live.
![Great news, guys. One of the two hostages has been released in the Grand Rapids shooting. From the story: “[Rodrick Shonte Dantzler] was on the phone with negotiators, who said he was holding up ‘his end of the bargain.’ Dantzler requested a ‘5-minute break.’”](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnzr4opjGY1qas8z9o1_500.jpg)
Great news, guys. One of the two hostages has been released in the Grand Rapids shooting. From the story: “[Rodrick Shonte Dantzler] was on the phone with negotiators, who said he was holding up ‘his end of the bargain.’ Dantzler requested a ‘5-minute break.’”
This includes a map of the car chase we posted about earlier. Great site, by the way.
Dantzler has demanded a Gatorade and cigarettes or threatens to kill one of his two hostages. A hostage came out to get the items, but returned inside the apartment.From the Grand Rapids Press’ liveblog of the shooting/hostage situation. Could you imagine putting someone’s life in your hands over Gatorade and cigarettes? No words.
This Facebook photo album has a bunch of photos of the aftermath of a police chase at Fulton and Division — a.k.a. downtown — while they were trying to catch the suspect. Yes, there was a car chase. In Grand Rapids. (via Sean Dailey’s Facebook page)
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At least two hostages are being held by the suspect, according to police.
He doesn’t really seem the type. I know you can say that about anyone … (but) every time I talked to him, he seemed really nice and down to earth.Chelsea Snoderly, a neighbor of Rodrick Shonte Dantzler • Offering an image of the 34-year-old man suspected of killing seven people in Grand Rapids, Mich. this evening. Snoderly, who lives three doors down from the suspect, says that he wasn’t without his problems. ”He said he and his wife had separated,” she noted. “He said it was a recent thing.” source
This shooting literally hits close to home for us. Grand Rapids, Mich. is not a town known for large spates of violent crime. The city had a relatively low nine murders in 2010, although the overall crime rate went up. But tonight, at least seven have been killed, including two children, in a rampage started by a single person who was in a domestic dispute. The suspect, 34-year-old Rodrick Shonte Dantzler, has not been captured. “This is a rare occurrence anywhere,” the city’s mayor, George Heartwell said. “A homicide like this is exceedingly rare. It’s an awful situation and he’s still at large.” As some of you might know, I’m from Michigan, and most of my family lives in Grand Rapids. So this is scary to hear. Everybody be on your P’s and Q’s tonight in Michigan. source
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