Crime
Armed man holding a woman hostage at Heritage Park Inn Kissimmee
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A tense situation unfolded Monday afternoon at the Heritage Park Inn in Kissimmee, Florida, where law enforcement officials responded to a hostage standoff involving an armed man and a woman being held against her will inside a hotel room.
According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), deputies were called to the motel, located on Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, just before noon following reports of a domestic disturbance that quickly escalated into a hostage situation.
Preliminary details indicate that two men—identified as brothers—were involved in a physical altercation inside one of the rooms at the Heritage Park Inn.
During the confrontation, one of the brothers reportedly threatened the other.
After the victim managed to escape, the suspect barricaded himself inside the room and took a female hostage, authorities said.
The suspect informed deputies that he was armed, prompting a large law enforcement response, including SWAT units and crisis negotiators, who immediately arrived on scene to establish communication with the man in an effort to de-escalate the situation safely.
“Hostage negotiators from OCSO have been in contact with the suspect, who has stated that he possesses a weapon,” the Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a statement.
As of the latest update, the area surrounding the motel has been secured, with deputies urging the public to avoid the vicinity while negotiations remain active. Emergency personnel, including Osceola County Fire Rescue, are also on standby as a precaution.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of those involved, and there is no confirmation of injuries at this time.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office continues to treat the matter as an active and evolving domestic-related hostage situation, emphasizing that the primary goal is to ensure the safety of the hostage and achieve a peaceful resolution.
Further updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.
Crime
Attorneys Argue Jacob Bard Actions in Deadly Kentucky State University Shooting Were Legally Justified
Attorneys representing Jacob Bard, the man accused in a deadly shooting at Kentucky State University, contend that his actions were legally justified and undertaken in defense of his family amid what they describe as a violent and uncontrolled situation on campus.
In a press release issued Monday afternoon, Bard’s legal team from the Indiana-based law firm Danks & Danks asserted that Bard “was completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force.”
Bard is accused of fatally shooting one Kentucky State University student and wounding another during an incident at a campus dormitory.
According to the attorneys’ statement, Bard traveled to Kentucky State University after his younger son reported being attacked on multiple occasions.
The release alleges that on Monday, December 8, a group of approximately 20 to 30 individuals gathered outside the son’s dormitory, some allegedly armed, and began beating on the door. Campus police were reportedly called to respond to the disturbance.
The following morning, Bard and his wife met with Kentucky State University police. While the attorneys stated that officers appeared sincere in their efforts, they claimed it was evident to the family that campus police were “ill-prepared to deal with the out-of-control and violent environment.”
The legal team further alleges that both the university and its police department failed to adequately address what they described as multiple armed and violent felonies against Bard’s sons, ages 18 and 19, as well as other students in the days preceding the shooting.
Those alleged incidents included burglaries and armed assaults.
Later that morning, the family attended a meeting at Young Hall with campus police and a university dean.
According to the release, the meeting left the family convinced that the university would not be able to maintain a safe environment, prompting them to begin removing the son’s belongings from the dormitory.
When the family returned to the residence hall, the attorneys claim that individuals previously involved in the alleged assaults were present, despite assurances they would not be allowed inside.
The statement further alleges that those individuals photographed the family and made verbal threats.
The attorneys contend that, even with two armed Kentucky State University police officers present, a group of 20 to 30 individuals gathered in the dormitory lobby and “violently and viciously attacked” Bard’s son and family members.
According to the release, Bard’s son was slammed into the concrete floor and beaten by multiple people, and the officer on scene allegedly lost control of the situation.
“In the chaos,” the attorneys wrote, Bard attempted to pull attackers off his son but was struck himself. Believing his son to be in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, Bard then drew his firearm and shot two individuals whom the attorneys say were actively assaulting his son.
The legal team also stated that no charges have been filed against others allegedly involved in the confrontation and claimed the Bard family has continued to receive death threats.
The release further alleges that the mother of the deceased student has publicly called for retaliation against Bard’s son and sought assistance from criminal groups—claims that have not been independently verified by authorities.
The case against Bard was presented to a grand jury on December 16.
During a previous court hearing, a detective testified that at least one video reviewed by investigators did not show the shooting victims assaulting Bard’s son.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not issued a final determination regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.