Hostage standoff ends in tragedy as murder suspect shot in West Virginia gas station

A tense hostage situation at a gas station in Ceredo, West Virginia, ended tragically when the suspect, David Maynard, was shot by officers after taking multiple people hostage. The incident was linked to the fatal shooting of Maynard's stepfather in Ohio, according to authorities.

The standoff came to a dramatic conclusion when Maynard, the murder suspect, appeared at the door of the Speedway on C Street. Officers, fearing for the safety of the hostages, fired multiple shots, fatally injuring him. All three hostages were reported to be safe and unharmed.

The situation unfolded after police in Ironton, Ohio, discovered the lifeless body of Maynard's stepfather and found his ex-girlfriend tied up but unhurt inside a residence. Ironton Police Chief Dan Johnson described the harrowing discovery, saying, "They heard a woman screaming for help inside, so they forced their way into the rear door, got inside found the woman. She was tied up in a bedroom there." Authorities had been searching for Maynard since the discovery of the murder victim.

Maynard's criminal history includes a previous prison sentence for murder, as reported by local news outlet WOWK-TV. His whereabouts were traced to Kenova, just west of Ceredo, where a shelter-in-place order was issued while police initiated their search.

Kenova Police Chief Bob Sullivan reported that Maynard took three hostages at a gas station in Ceredo around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday. Negotiators from the West Virginia State Police Special Response Team engaged with Maynard for approximately 90 minutes. One hostage, identified as a clerk, was successfully rescued by officers. The other two hostages, both customers, were released by Maynard without visible injuries.

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Before the gas station hostage situation, Maynard had been involved in separate incidents in Kentucky, where he kidnapped and carjacked two women. One victim managed to escape, while the other is still missing, along with her vehicle, after an incident near a Dollar General in Louisa, Kentucky, located 25 miles south of Ceredo.

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