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Hostage-taker in Edmonton surrenders to police (Updated)

Armed man had been holding eight people at Workers Compensation Board building

An armed man may have taken as many as nine people hostage on the 8th floor of the WCB building in downtown Edmonton. According to local news reports, the man entered the building early Wednesday morning wearing a camouflage jacket and carrying a backpack. Radio station News 880 reported he told police he is “mad at the world” and blames a WCB doctor for most of his trouble.

UPDATE: Police have confirmed an armed man is indeed holding hostages at the Workers’ Compensation Board building and that they have been in contact with him. An eyewitness who escaped the building told CBC News that a tall bald man entered the building with a gun, and one shot was fired, but no one was injured.

UPDATE (2): Alleged hostage taker Patrick Clayton, a 38-year-old unemployed carpenter, surrendered peacefully to police Wednesday evening and release all eight hostages unharmed. According to CBC News, Clayton had been living off compensation board payments that were cut off just over a week ago.

Edmonton Journal

Canadian Press

CBC News

Calgary Herald

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