Antioch

Hostage Situation at ARCO Gas Station in Antioch Ends Peacefully

SWAT teams officers handcuffed a suspected hostage taker outside a Bay Area gas station on Wednesday after he reportedly took two hostages.

The California Highway Patrol assisted Antioch police in the standoff.

One of the two hostages being held inside the ARCO gas station at 2610 Contra Loma Blvd. was released at about 2:50 p.m. (5:50 p.m. ET). The other hostage exited the gas station about half an hour later followed by the suspect.

He came out with his arms up, lay face down in the parking lot and was quickly handcuffed. No injuries were reported.

Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando said the incident started with a reported traffic collision at West 10th Street and Auto Center Drive. A male suspect was seen running from the crash ran to a nearby business, where he stole a car while a man was in it, he said. According to Cantado, the suspect eventually resurfaced in Concord, where he had stolen another vehicle.

Cantando said officers pursued the suspect's vehicle to the shut-down L Street off-ramp of Highway 4, where he crashed. The suspect then attempted to steal another car from two women, but they said he was deterred by their pit bull.

A CHP officer did fire a single shot at the suspect after the suspect pointed a weapon, Cantando said. The suspect was able to run into the gas station in Antioch where he took a pair of hostages. It was not immediately clear whether the hostages worked at the gas station or if they were customers.

An employee of a nearby company said nearby businesses have been advised to stay indoors while police deal with a β€œpossible abduction” next door. The employee declined to give her name.

The L Street off-ramp from Highway 4 was shut down due to the police activity, according to CHP.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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