Pepper Spray Subdues Hostage-Taker At Jail

Wed., Nov. 22, 2000

From Staff

A man awaiting trial on a charge of first-degree murder was subdued by pepper spray after he took another inmate hostage and held a slightly sharpened toothbrush to his neck in a cell at the Yakima County jail.

The inmate was ordered to drop the toothbrush twice, but refused. A jail supervisor grabbed the man’s wrist and slapped his face before corrections officers sprayed the man with pepper foam, Ken Rink, county Corrections Department spokesman, said Tuesday.

The toothbrush had been rubbed on the concrete but wasn’t sharp enough to inflict any damage, and the bristles were still intact, Rink said.

No one was hurt.

The hostage-taker had demanded a number of things during the Monday evening incident, including a laptop computer and a cellular phone. He also wanted for himself and the hostage a couple of cheeseburgers, french fries and Dr Peppers from Jack In The Box, plus two packs of cigarettes.

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