A South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Agent with the Bomb Squad helped peacefully end a nearly nine-hour long hostage situation in Wytheville, Virginia Wednesday night.
The Agent, whose name is not being released, called his friend, Jim Oliver Wednesday afternoon to wish him a Merry Christmas.
The SLED Agent soon found out that his greetings happened while an armed man was holding his friend and others hostage inside the post office. The suspect also claimed to have explosive devices.
The hostage-taker, who has been identified by Virginia officials as Warren "Gator" Taylor of Sullivan County, Tennessee, answered the Agent's phone call.
Realizing that, the Agent quickly understood what was happening inside the post office and that his friend was not harmed.
The Agent talked with Taylor for several minutes.
During that conversation, the Agent used another phone to call a SLED Captain to advise him of the situation.
That Captain and analysts with the SC Information and Intelligence Center (SCIIC) immediately notified Wytheville, Virginia police.
The Agent and Taylor talked for several times during the entire crime.
Since this is an on-going investigation, specific details of the conversations between the Agent and Taylor cannot be released, however the two established a rapport and discussed common knowledge about the military and explosive devices.
After one, 30-minute conversation, the Agent, his friend and local authorities helped to convince Taylor to willfully end the hostage-situation.
Later, Taylor released the hostages and surrendered to Virginia authorities who arrested him.
SLED Director Reggie Lloyd says, "On behalf of the entire agency, I would like to commend these two Agents for their quick thinking during a stressful and dangerous situation. We are proud of their exemplary work that was done completely by the use of a telephone. They truly put their years of law enforcement expertise to the test. My well-wishes are also extended to Mr. Oliver for his hand in helping to calm the situation."