The brother of a man who took 80 children hostage at an American day-care centre earlier this month was himself locked in a standoff with police on Tuesday as he held his ex-girlfriend and two of their children hostage.

Assistant Police Chief Ray Simmons said James Riccardo Lipscomb, 38, seized his former girlfriend and their three children at an apartment in the suburb of McKinney in north Dallas, Texas, on Monday night.

Police said Lipscomb is armed with a knife and initially threatened to kill the woman but later calmed down and released their nine-year-old son after opening negotiations with police.

Lipscomb then held off police throughout Monday night and was barricaded inside the apartment with his former girlfriend and two of their children, aged seven and 12, on Tuesday.

Mr Simmons said: "He is talking to us and that's a good sign. We are just trying to figure out what he would like or need to bring this to a peaceful end."

Lipscomb's younger brother, James Monroe Lipscomb, took 80 children and five adults hostage at a day-care centre in the nearby Dallas suburb of Plano less than two weeks ago.

James Monroe Lipscomb...charged with aggravated kidnapping

He released most of the children quickly but held off police for 30 hours before finally setting free his last two captives - his own son and stepson - and surrendering peacefully.

James Riccardo Lipscomb jumped to his brother's defence in the Plano siege and even offered to mediate.

Mr Simmons said negotiators were not bringing the subject of the Plano stand-off up with James Riccardo Lipscomb.

He said: "It could make the situation tense and we don't want to do that. This is an entirely different situation."
 

Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage	©