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Hackers Underworld 2: Forbidden Knowledge
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LEGAL
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HOSTAGE
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1991-02-01
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January 1991
HOSTAGE/BARRICADE INCIDENTS:
HIGH RISK FACTORS AND THE ACTION CRITERIA
By
G. Dwayne Fuselier
Special Agent, Inspection Division
FBI Headquarters, Washington, DC
Clinton R. Van Zandt
Special Agent
Special Operations and Research Unit
FBI Academy
Frederick J. Lancely
Special Agent
Special Operations and Research Unit
FBI Academy
MASTIC, NY--On Tuesday, July 18, 1989, Jimmy Hyams argued
with his 18-year-old daughter, Lisa, about her decision to
live with a boyfriend, whom he did not like. His wife stood
just outside the home with their 7-year-old daughter when
she heard a gunshot and looked in to see Lisa bleeding from
a back wound and lying face down on the floor. Hyams stood
over her with a .32-caliber semi-automatic pistol in his
hand. He told his wife to leave, closed the door, and
initiated a 7-hour barricade incident that ended with a
Suffolk County police officer suffering from a gunshot
wound to the head, Lisa's death, and Hyam's suicide.
FORT WORTH, TX--On Tuesday, August 1, 1989, Manny Cabano
walked into the Tarrant County Courthouse, pointed a
.357-magnum revolver at Juanita Hermosillo, with whom he
had been living for the past year, and ordered everyone
else out of the building. He then walked Juanita into the
judge's chambers, ordered the judge out, and began a 7-hour
standoff that ended when he killed Juanita and turned the
gun on himself.
STOCKTON, CA--On Wednesday, August 16, 1989, at about
midnight, Dang Cha Xiong, violating a restraining order for
the third time, entered his former residence with a
revolver and threatened to shoot his wife and eight
children. At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 18,
1989, after a 34-hour siege, Dang killed his wife, then
shot and killed himself.
These three cases all occurred within a 1-month period,
bringing them to the attention of the FBI Academy's Special
Operations and Research Unit (SOARU). Our interest was further
piqued because all of these cases involved a homicide that was
followed by a suicide. After discussing each case with the
respective police departments, we determined that these
tragedies shared some common factors. Although the three cases
were not identical, there was a sufficient number of common
factors to lead us to suggest this simple hypothesis: The number
of "high-risk" factors present in an incident is directly
related to the increased risk of a homicide being followed by a
suicide. We believe that the risk to victims in certain
situations increases when the victims are not genuine hostages.
They are, instead, intended homicides. Such targets have not
been taken hostage as a means of satisfying demands--they are
being held because the subjects intend to murder them and then
take their own life.
This article reviews the high-risk factors often present in
these types of incidents, distinguishes between pseudo-hostage
incidents and intended homicides, and recommends three criteria
to consider prior to taking action. Using the same three cases
throughout, we have attempted to demonstrate how the high-risk
factors are repeatedly found in cases of this type.
HIGH-RISK FACTORS
Police officers responding to hostage/barricade incidents
should be familiar with a number of high-risk factors involving
the background characteristics and behavioral patterns of the
subject, so that appropriate action may be taken. Recognizing
these factors and reacting correctly may make a difference in how
the incident ends.
Background Characteristics
In studying these cases, we realized that the subjects
shared certain background characteristics. When viewed within
the total picture, this background information could alert the
responding officers that they are dealing with a potentially
volatile incident.
-- Subject experiences multiple stressors
In each of these cases, the subject generally feels outside
pressures, whether real or imagined. This pressure could come in
different forms--financial, family, or social pressures.
In Hyams' case, there was an ongoing battle with his
daughter about the young man with whom she was living. Hyams
believed that his daughter lacked respect for his opinions.
When he made disparaging remarks about the man, Lisa swore at
him and began to walk away. Hyams picked up the gun and shot
her.
Manny Cabano's case is perhaps more typical. Cabano was
employed as a bail bondsman who suffered a series of losses when
clients skipped bail. This, combined with Cabano's desire to
live beyond his means, led him to the verge of bankruptcy. At
the time of the incident, he was being evicted from his home for
failing to pay the mortgage, and he was dealing with the
disintegration of his relationship with Juanita, who had filed
charges against him for child sexual abuse. All of this
overwhelmed Cabano, leading him to take drastic action.
In Dang's case, his personal life was extremely unstable.
He had no job, routinely smoked opium, and gambled with the
family's welfare money. During the year preceding this
incident, he severely punished his children when they did not
give him the respect he believed a father should receive. On
one occasion, Dang beat his 8-year-old daughter with a telephone
cord, and on another occasion, he ran a fishing line through his
10-year-old son's ears, pulling the line over a closet rod.
This forced his son to stand on his tiptoes to prevent the line
from cutting further through his ears. Dang's arrest and
conviction for these incidents resulted in the issuance of the
restraining order.
-- Background stresses male dominance
When we spoke with the respective police departments about
these cases, it was repeatedly stressed that both Cabano and Dang
had backgrounds that encouraged male dominance. The responding
officers believed that this factor contributed greatly to the
subjects' refusal to surrender.
During conversations with police negotiators, Manny Cabano
repeatedly stated that due to the allegations of sexual child
abuse, he had "lost face," and he could never again "hold his
head up in the community." He believed that even if he were
found innocent, he would still be called "Chester, the
molester." He also referred to his Hispanic heritage, stating
that once a man loses his respect, he has nothing left.
Dang Cha Xiong was a Laotian refugee who immigrated to the
United States after the Vietnam War. He was a member of an
ethnic group called the Hmong, who were rural farmers living a
very rustic life, typically in homes with no running water. In
Laos, they had virtually no contact with governmental agencies,
and any attempt by a government agency to become involved in
family affairs was viewed as interference. Although Dang's
actions are not viewed as being representative of those of the
Hmong, they do seem to reflect a man caught between his cultural
beliefs that a father, as head of the family, should be given
respect and should maintain d