Week-long hostage situation in U.S. ends, child safe, kidnapper dead

A week-long hostage situation in Midland City, Alabama, has ended on its seventh day, and a five- year-old hostage has been rescued, federal officials said Monday.

Steve Richardson, Special Agent in Charge of FBI's Mobile office, made the announcement at a nationally televised news conference. He said at 3:12 p.m, the FBI safely recovered the child. He said that within the past 24 hours, negotiations with the kidnapper deteriorated, and fearing the child was in eminent danger, agents entered the bunker.

Law enforcement officials confirmed the kidnapper is dead, but declined to say whether they shot him or if he shot himself. The suspect was seen with a gun in his hand, Richardson said.

The suspect, 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes, was accused of gunning down the kindergartener's school bus driver last Tuesday. He then escaped with one of the children, identified only as five- year-old Ethan, before holding up in an underground bunker with supplies that reportedly could last for weeks.

The hostage was reported to have Asperger's syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Richardson said he was undergoing treatment at a local hospital after being rescued.

In a statement, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said he was " thankful that the child who was abducted is now safe." Washington (Xinhua)