Kidnapper Gunned Down By FBI Agents In Dramatic Hostage Rescue In Houston

Staff Writer

FBI agents in North Houston rescued several hostages held by a man who was shot and killed during the rescue, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

Authorities said the rescue operation began days ago when three migrants were kidnapped from a vehicle in a neighboring county. According to prosecutors, three migrants had been traveling in a vehicle on Interstate 10 in the southern part of Waller County on March 18 when they were stopped by an unknown number of individuals and forced into another vehicle.

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It is believed the driver of the vehicle with the migrants called 911 and informed the Waller County Sheriff’s Office about the kidnapping, said Sean Whittmore, a prosecutor with the Waller County District Attorney’s Office. The sheriff’s office later worked with the FBI, whose agents were involved in a shooting early Thursday morning in north Houston in which all three migrants were rescued.

The kidnappers demanded money from the family of at least one of the migrants and were paid a sum, but then they asked for more, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person said that during negotiations, the kidnappers sent law enforcement officers videos showing that they were armed and the hostages were alive, including one of them beating one of the hostages, an older man.

One man was killed by FBI agents during a hostage rescue operation in North Houston that began after three migrants were kidnapped earlier this week, according to a law enforcement source.

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In addition to the individual who was killed, another person was arrested in the raid, a law enforcement source said.

“In the interest of protecting the investigation’s integrity, we cannot provide any further details at this time,” the FBI said in a statement, per the report.

The FBI said that all hostages were rescued safely, according to the AP.

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Authorities added that while there was no threat to public safety, they advised residents to avoid the area until the investigation was completed.

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