Syracuse, N.Y. (WSYR) - Syracuse Police say 32-year-old Charles Jennings of Syracuse was killed Monday morning after he was hit by gunfire during a standoff with police.
The standoff started around 10:00 PM Sunday night at a building on North Geddes Street in Syracuse.
Syracuse Police say the standoff started after they received a call for an armed robbery at some apartments above a store along the 200 block of North Geddes Street.
When police arrived they say Jennings started shooting from the windows of one of the apartments, and officers returned fire. Jennings then ran downstairs and again exchanged gunfire with police.
Investigators found out that the gunman was holding 7 people hostage. Police were able to rescue 6 of the 7 hostages around midnight.
The standoff ended several hours later when the remaining hostage was able to get on the building's roof and yell to police that he believed that the gunman was dead. When police went inside to check, they found Jennings dead.
Initial autopsy results show Jennings was shot several times.
Three of the seven hostages were beaten by Jennings with his gun. They have been taken to University Hospital where they're expected to recover.
Police say the victims did not know their attacker. It's also unclear why Jennings decided to shoot at the police.
North Geddes Street between Wilkinson Street and Richmond Avenue was closed for several hours overnight, but has now reopened.
