A gunman is currently holding hostages at the Tensas State Bank in St. Joseph, Louisiana. No reports of shots fired or violence have come out so far, but police are on the scene to negotiate with the gunman.
Local reporting states that there are three people being held within the bank and that local and state police are already working to get them out safely. The gunman has the three hostages handcuffed inside of the building and has been holding them for more than an hour.
The FBI is currently on their way to the scene in order to assist police in ending the situation as soon as possible. We have yet to find out whether or not the gunman is holding the hostages as a result of a failed robbery or not.
Mark Boyle, a local reporter, tweeted that the blinds are closed making it hard for the media or police to find out exactly what is going on inside. The glass surrounding the bank is bulletproof preventing any brute force entrance into the building.
District Attorney Jim Paxton stated that the majority of the town–which only has a population of 1,176–has been blocked off as a result of the hostage situation.
Another bank robbery occurred just 100 miles away from St. Joseph earlier this morning. A bank in Eunice, Louisiana lost an undisclosed amount of money after someone successfully robbed it and was able to get away. The FBI is also investigating that crime but there is no information linking the two robberies together.
Police are likely worried for the safety of the hostages as the gunman was described as having some sort of automatic weapon. The hostages appear to be bank employees but reporters are still uncertain as to who is inside the bank. Other reports have come out stating that there are two women and one man inside of the building.