A hostage situation at a branch of Alabama Credit Union near the University of Alabama campus has ended peacefully with the arrest of one suspect by police and the release of eight hostages.
According to local news outlets, Tuscaloosa police, the FBI, SWAT teams and more were on-site along with city officials. The situation began around 8:30 A.M. Central Time, before the credit union opened, when an armed gunman somehow gained access to the credit union. Robbery is believed to have been the motive. There was no armed conflict or gunfire and the situation was resolved peacefully after a little more than two hours.
Police rerouted traffic from the area and evacuated nearby businesses. The university put out a campus-wide alert, though classes are not currently in session so the school grounds are less populated than usual.
One part-time employee told the local ABC News affiliate that the credit union has not had armed security on-hand for years, though a security system is in place along with other protocols to protect employees.
During the hostage situation, ACU CEO Steve Swofford told local news that all employees were safe. Representatives of the credit union have not yet returned calls from Credit Union Journal.
Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steve Anderson told local media that hostage negotiators were in contact with the suspect throughout the process but were unable to make progress with their negotiations. When law enforcement received information that the suspect had separated himself from the hostages, police made the decision to breach the facility and take the suspect.
CU Journal will provide more details to this story as it develops.
