Woman Safe In Connecticut Man-Wife Home Standoff

Police say a Connecticut woman held hostage for hours by her estranged husband is safe, and police are surrounding the house, which is engulfed in flames. Gunshots were fired at the South Windsor house shortly after power was cut to the neighborhood and a SWAT team geared up.

AP
Published: July 8, 2009

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SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn. (AP) - Police say a Connecticut woman held hostage for hours by her estranged husband is safe, and police are surrounding the house, which is engulfed in flames.

Gunshots were fired at the South Windsor house shortly after power was cut to the neighborhood and a SWAT team geared up.

Police have been using a bullhorn to tell Richard Shenkman to leave the house because it’s on fire.

Police say Shenkman has claimed the house is booby-trapped with explosives. A bomb squad has been on the scene since the standoff began Tuesday morning.

Authorities say Shenkman abducted Nancy Tyler from a garage after he missed a court hearing. His attorney says the hearing was related to an order that he vacate the suburban Hartford home.

There have been no reports of injuries.

Shenkman’s attorney, Hugh Keefe, says he’s hoping for a peaceful ending without any more violence.