Hostage drama ends in a US high school; teen dies

    Chicago, Dec 1, A 15-year-old youth armed with a
handgun who burst into a classroom and held 23 students and a
teacher hostage for more than five hours in a US town has died
from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Sophomore Samuel Hengel died at a Green Bay hospital,
Marinette Police Chief Jeff Skorik was quoted as saying by
local media reports. Hengel shot himself as police stormed the
classroom at Marinette High School last night.
Earlier reports said that he was in "grave condition."

The 24 captives were unharmed, according to officials in
Marinette Wisconsin, where the bizarre drama took place.
The town's police chief said all the students and the
woman teacher who acted as a mediator between the hostage
taker and authorities were released at 9 pm and no shots were
fired. "Earlier reports of injuries and gun shots being fired
were incorrect", Skorik said.
        
The gun wielding young man, later identified as a
student stormed into the school towards the end of the school
day around 3 pm (2000 hrs GMT) yesterday. And then took the
students hostage.

Police said, the unidentified youth who was carrying
two handguns, a .22 caliber semi-automatic and a 9mm pistol
and empty cartridges at the crime scene revealed both weapons
had been used.
       
 The drama came to an end five and half hours later,
just minutes after the gunman had released five students to
allow them to use the washroom.
        
As the students trooped out, police rushed in after
hearing gunshots. "The officers breached the door and entered
the classroom and saw the suspect standing in the front of the
classroom with guns and as police aimed at him asking him to
surrender he shot himself".
        
The motive for the crime remained unclear, police
said. Earlier, as negotiations were going on, a police
commando team had ringed the school.
        
Teacher Valerie Burd was lauded by Skorik as "nothing
short of heroic" - a person who kept  a cool head and kept the
suspect as calm as possible.
          
As part of the ongoing investigation, authorities
have interviewed the alleged gunman's parents, as well as
classmates; they say this act was "uncharacteristic" of his
personality.
          
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
although the boy refused to talk to police and hostage
negotiators, he allowed the teacher to have unfettered access
with authorities.
        
The town is about 80 kilometres north of the city of
Green Bay and has approximately 700 students. Police later
closed the school till further notice.