TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A woman has been arrested in connection to a hostage situation that left one man dead when he was shot by police on Thursday night.
28-year-old Valerie Hatton was identified by the Tallahassee Police Department Saturday as the alleged accomplice to the man who died.
According to TPD, it began at an apartment complex on Ocala Drive, near Publix. Officers say two men, Hatton, and a child were parked in the entrance of the complex, leading officers to investigate. While the driver was outside of the car talking to officers, the other man in the car pulled off, hitting a backup officer.
Police eventually found the car at the Valencia Square Apartments just down the road. Police say someone ran out of an apartment, saying a man inside had hostages.
TPD confirmed to ABC 27 on Saturday that the people inside the apartment were a man, Hatton, the child and a hostage.
One witness, Maurice Kirksey lives just two doors down and said he watched it all unfold from his bedroom window.
"The police were patiently waiting. It was a big boom and come to find out the person jumped from the second story," said Kirksey.
Once on the ground, the suspect then waved a gun at officers, according to the police. An officer shot at the suspect, ultimately killing him.
TPD said that Hatton was detained the night of the shooting for questioning, with the charges coming on Friday.
Hatton was charged with 2nd-degree felony murder, armed robbery, armed burglary with assault and false imprisonment.
The 2nd-degree felony murder charge stems from the basis of the law, which says that a person is not accused of killing anyone but is said to be guilty of a felony that resulted in a death.
