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Boy held hostage by gunman taken to hospital

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-24 11:48

EL MONTE, California _ A boy being held hostage by an armed man has been taken away by ambulance after gun shots rang out in the Los Angeles-area restaurant where he was being held.

El Monte police have not released any details of what happened to the boy or if the gunman has been arrested.

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El Monte police Detective Ralph Batres says the suspect grabbed the boy off a sidewalk Tuesday afternoon and took him into the Taipan Chinese Food restaurant, where he held him hostage with a handgun.

Police and firefighters in the restaurant tried to persuade the suspect to release the boy for about two hours.

Officials say they do not know the identities of the gunman or the boy or who was with the boy when he was taken.