Armed Man Holds Hostages at Child-Care Center

An armed man held adults and children hostage at a day-care center Wednesday after trying to rob someone outside a bank a few blocks away.

About four hours after the standoff began, the man released dozens of children but continued to hold at least three, the parent of one released child said.

Police refused to confirm whether all the children had been freed.

Sheri Gibson said her young son was the last of the children released in groups of 10 to 20 about 7:30 p.m. from the Rigsbee Child Development Center. She said none of the children were injured.

“Scared and shaken up, yeah,” she said.

She said police told her that three children remained inside with the gunman.

“There’s still one child in there besides . . . two of his [the suspect’s] own,” she said, adding that she didn’t know how many adults were inside.

Police spokesman Carl Duke refused to confirm statements by parents that the suspect was the husband of a day-care worker and that the couple was going through a divorce.

Duke said the man was believed to have attempted a robbery outside the Plano Bank and Trust. Bank senior vice president June Rossetti said a customer was approached in a parking lot and ordered to withdraw money.

Rossetti said it was uncertain whether funds were actually withdrawn.

Officers negotiated with the suspect by phone. Duke wouldn’t say if the suspect had made any demands.