Police ID Man Who Took 4 Hostages Inside Baltimore Burger King
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Baltimore Police have identified the suspect they say took four hostages, including a 7-year-old girl inside a Burger King on Sunday afternoon.
According to Baltimore Police Spokesperson T.J. Smith, a vehicle pursuit ensued around 11:00 a.m. when 26-year-old George Johnson refused to pull over for officers.
Smith says Johnson later collided with a vehicle in the area of the 1700 block of Washington Blvd. and Monroe St. where the suspect fled into a Burger King and took four hostages: a 7-year-old girl and the restaurant's 25-year-old manager, a 17 year-old restaurant employee and a 67-year-old male customer.
Police and SWAT team officers surrounded Washington Boulevard and Monroe Street, along with reinforcement from neighboring counties. Negotiators talked to the suspect, enlisting the help of relatives of the hostages.
Johnson released two of the hostages around 2-3:00 p.m., but negotiations continued.
Danielle Montgomery is the cousin of the youngest hostage. She spoke to the suspect for 20 minutes.
"I just asked him to toss the gun and walk out with his hands up and that's what he did," Montgomery said.
The hostage situation lasted approximately 5 1/2 hours and all the victims were eventually released unharmed.
Police say one person was injured in connection with the initial crash with the suspect. That person was treated for minor injuries.
Johnson is charged with handgun violations, illegal detention of the hostages, reckless endangerment and auto theft.
