An active hostage situation ended peacefully at Alabama Credit Union in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Tuesday. According to the Tuscaloosa Police Department, around 8:30 a.m. CDT an armed male suspect entered the main office branch, located at 220 Paul Bryant Dr. on the southeastern edge of the University of Alabama campus and took eight hostages captive, all of which were employees of the credit union.
According to Lt. Teena Richardson, Public Information Officer with the TPD, after two hours, the unnammed suspect was apprehended by police who entered the building and the tense standoff ended without incident. She was happy to report, “The hostage are fine.”
This situation comes just more than a month after an armed suspect took 13 hostages at captive a Jacksonville, Fla. branch of Community First Credit Union on December 1. In that case, the armed assailant allegedly entered the credit union with his dog shortly after the branch opened for business. After two hours, police tactical units stormed into the branch and rescued the hostages, taking the suspect into custody without incident. According to police, the suspect’s motive was robbery.
According to police in Alabama, the motive for this hostage situation is in question. Richardson said the motive remained unclear. “This didn’t come in as a robbery and we are not sure what the movtive was.” The FBI, University Police, Tuscaloosa Police Department and the Tuscaloosa County Sheriffs Department all assisted with the crime scene. “This was a joint effort with all law enforcement agencies in the area,” said Richardson.
CU Times has reached out to Alabama Credit Union CEO Steve Swofford for comment on this story. A statement from the credit union is expected soon.
Alabama Credit Union has $729 million in assets, with a membership base of 72,000.
Stay tuned to CU Times as we will update this story as we receive additional information.
