Hostage situation at Osceola County hotel ends peacefully after 6-hour standoff, sheriff says

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - A tense hostage situation at an Osceola County hotel ended peacefully Monday evening after a standoff with deputies, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

Acting Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said deputies were called to The Heritage Park Inn, near E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway and Magic Landing Blvd., shortly before noon after 911 received a domestic violence call. 

What we know:

The six-hour standoff ended peacefully Monday evening when a man who had barricaded himself inside a hotel room with a woman surrendered to deputies. 

Acting Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said the incident began shortly before noon after a domestic violence call involving two brothers escalated into a possible kidnapping.

Deputies said one of the brothers allegedly pulled a gun during the argument, then locked himself inside the room with a woman he was holding against her will. 

SWAT officers surrounded the hotel, while negotiators spent hours working to secure her release. The woman was safely rescued and unharmed, while one of the brothers was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released the suspect’s name, the woman’s identity, or the exact nature of their relationship. Sheriff Blackmon did say that the man knew the woman.

The motive behind the confrontation remains unclear, as does whether the firearm reported by the suspect has been recovered. Detectives said "additional charges are forthcoming" as they continue to process evidence.

What they're saying:

The confrontation unfolded after 911 received a domestic violence call. Responding deputies learned that two brothers had been fighting when one reportedly brandished a gun, the sheriff said.

That suspect then took a woman hostage inside the hotel. 

"He reported to us that he had a firearm, which concerned us — that she was being held against her will, potentially kidnapped or detained with a firearm," Sheriff Blackmon said. 

During the standoff, the sheriff said the man made several unusual requests, including a pizza and a wheelchair, which deputies placed outside the door. 

"We supplied both," he added, referring to the wheelchair and pizza requests. "But thank God, in the end, he gave up, and it was very peaceful."

Blackmon praised the coordinated response among local agencies. 

"We had our patrol deputies, our SWAT team, and assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Osceola County Fire Department," he said. "Everyone worked diligently since noon to resolve this peacefully — and thank God, it did."

What's next:

Authorities have not released the suspect’s name or the specific charges he faces. The investigation is ongoing.