Eric Mark and Bob Kalinowski
The Citizens’ Voice
HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 15-year-old girl is safe and the man who police say abducted her and stole a police vehicle in Nanticoke on Sunday is dead.
Jordan Oliver, 20, was killed by police late Sunday night as he held the girl hostage in a wooded area of Warrior Run borough, state police said in a news release.
The girl was not harmed, police said. Police had earlier identified her in an Amber Alert as Samara Derwin. That alert has been canceled.
The incident began when police responded to a report of a man holding a female at knifepoint near Nanticoke High School at 3:18 p.m. Sunday, according to Nanticoke acting police Chief Robert Lehman.
After the girl was secured in a police SUV, Oliver started a fight with an officer, Lehman said.
Oliver was in possession of knives and axes, and possibly a gun, the chief said.
When a police officer tried to take him into custody, Oliver blinded him with pepper spray and jumped in the Nanticoke police SUV, according to Lehman. The officer fired shots at Oliver, Lehman said.
Officers from multiple departments searched for Oliver and the stolen SUV.
Late Sunday afternoon, police issued an alert advising all emergency personnel in the region to be on the lookout for the stolen SUV and Oliver, who was described as armed and dangerous.
Derwin was considered a hostage, police said.
An investigation indicated that Oliver was likely to be in the Warrior Run section of Hanover Twp., according to police.
A state police special response team located Oliver in Warrior Run, where he was holding Derwin hostage, police said.
“Deadly force was used against Oliver,” while Derwin was freed unharmed, the state police news release states.