Man killed after taking ex-girlfriend hostage at Office Depot; woman rushed to hospital

A man was fatally shot Thursday after holding his ex-girlfriend hostage outside an Office Depot in Redlands for nearly two hours, officials said.

Police shot and killed the man when he fired at least one shot at his ex-girlfriend, said Redlands Police Chief Mark Garcia. She was taken to a hospital. It is unclear what types of injuries she suffered.

Authorities said SWAT officers and hostage negotiators tried to communicate with the man but the attempts failed.

“We spent a considerable amount of time trying to negotiate with him to surrender and to allow the hostage to go, but we were unsuccessful,” Garcia said.

The situation unfolded about 2:12 p.m. when the man followed his ex-girlfriend to the office supply store in the 600 block of North Orange Street, he said.

The man entered the store and fired at least one shot, injuring a bystander, Garcia said.

The man then took his ex-girlfriend hostage and exited the rear doors of the store.

“We opened fire on him and stopped that threat,” Garcia said.

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