Police: Charleston Suspect Shot Co-Worker, Held One Hostage at Restaurant

CHARLESTON, S.C (WCIV) (AP) – Authorities are now saying that only one person was taken hostage by a fired dishwasher who fatally shot a co-worker in a Charleston, South Carolina, restaurant.

Charleston Police spokesman Jack O’Toole said in a news release that the hostage was rescued safely Thursday afternoon from Virginia’s restaurant in downtown Charleston.

 Mayor John Tecklenburg stood before churches and cameras in the Holy City Thursday afternoon and shared one person was dead as a result of a shooting and hostage situation at a popular downtown restaurant.

“We do ask our community’s prayers for one family today, because one person has been killed today,” Mayor Tecklenburg said.

King Street between Calhoun and Morris streets was blocked to vehicle and pedestrian traffic as multiple law enforcement agencies worked the scene.

Police initially had estimated that there were “a couple” and a “small number” of hostages.
Mayor John Tecklenburg said the worker shot and killed someone at the restaurant shortly after noon Thursday. Police shot and critically wounded the gunman after a three-hour standoff.