By Chris Fusco, Chicago Sun Times
A police sharpshooter ended a long hostage standoff in south suburban Burnham, Ill. late Saturday when he fired one shot at a convicted felon who was holding his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint.
Police said the single shot saved the woman’s life, while killing the man, Jeffery E. Arthur, 38.
The standoff began at 1:55 p.m., with Burnham police enlisting a coalition of special-response officers for help. The South Suburban Emergency Response Team negotiated with Arthur for seven hours by phone to no avail.
Arthur then forced the woman out of the front door of the house, 2901 E. 138th Place, police said.
“He was choking her around the neck with one arm and pressing a handgun to her head and screaming he was going to kill her,” Burnham Police Chief J.D. Crull said in a statement.
Fearing for the victim’s life, the police marksman fired.
Jeffery Ratajczak, who lives next door to the house where Arthur had the woman holed up, said the standoff didn’t scare him.
“I figured the police knew what they were doing. They had spotlights on the house. The guy came out, and they took him down,” said Ratajczak, 56. “I didn’t hear any of the shots or anything.”
Arthur was paroled from prison in March after serving one year for repeatedly driving on a revoked or suspended license, police said. Before that, he served prison time for offenses including firearm possession, attempted murder and aggravated battery.
The crisis began when Arthur’s ex-girlfriend went to the house with her brother to get some of her belongings from Arthur.
Arthur pulled a gun but let the brother go.
During the negotiations, Arthur repeatedly threatened to kill his hostage and police officers on the scene, authorities said. At one point, he fired a gunshot out a front window.