Woman shot dead after being forced off Fort Wayne Citilink bus, suspect shot and killed

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A fatal early morning shooting led to an hours-long hostage situation that ended with the suspect's death on Wednesday. A three-year-old that was being held hostage is safe.

A woman was shot to death after getting off a Citilink bus just before 8 a.m. Wednesday morning near the intersection of East Pettit and Reed Street according to Fort Wayne police.

As police searched the area, they discovered the suspect, who they have now identified as 45-year-old Kenneth Knight, was barricaded in a house in the 3000-block of Holton Street.

Fort Wayne Police, along with the Emergency Response Team and a SWAT team, were on the scene on Holton Street around noon. NewsChannel 15 does not know what led police to the house on Holton Street.

Around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, NewsChannel 15 crew on the scene reported hearing a loud bang and seeing the SWAT team approach the house and get the toddler.

Police said they had a clear shot of Knight and, based on previous discussions of the situation, they took it. Knight was shot and killed. Police were then able to get the toddler safely out of the home.

According to police, Knight did know the people who lived at the Holton Street home but was not related to them or the three-year-old he took hostage.

Police blocked off the entire 3000-block of Holton Street during the hostage situation.

According to a Facebook message, Fort Wayne Community Schools put up during the hostage situation, students living in the area were kept at school to be picked up by parents. Students in schools near the hostage area were allowed to leave with additional security measures in place.

The NewsChannel 15 crew on the scene reported hearing a loud bang and seeing the SWAT team approach the house and get the toddler.

It is not known if there is a relationship between the toddler and the suspect.

There is a large police presence in 3000-block of Holton St. NewsChannel 15's crew on the scene said there were many police on scene as was the Emergency Response Team and SWAT team.

Photos: Police search for a killer

This is an update to the previously published article below.  
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A woman was shot to death after getting off a Citilink bus just before 8 a.m. Wednesday morning  near the intersection of East Pettit and Reed Street according to Fort Wayne police. The killer is still on the loose.

According to a press release issued by Public Information Officer Raquel Foster, it's not clear what precipitated the incident and it's not known what the relationship was between the shooter and the woman, however police believe the two did know each other. Witnesses reported that the shooter pulled the victim off the bus.

Police have not confirmed if there was a disturbance on the bus or if the stop was scheduled or forced. Citilink buses have cameras that record both audio and video. Police said Citilink was being cooperative.

The woman, whose identity has not yet been released, was shot about 25 feet away from the bus. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The gunman took off on foot and was tracked by a canine unit to an area in the 4700 block of Winter Street where the search ended.

Police are interviewing several witnesses, including passengers who were on the bus and people who were in the neighborhood at the time of the shooting. Police also searched at least one house they believed to be connected to the morning shooting.

Ravenscroft Beauty College canceled classes for the day because of the shooting; a woman who answered the phone at the college said Wednesday's shooting victim was a student there.

Fort Wayne Community Schools did take extra precautions as Scott and Abbett Elementary Schools were nearby. However, according to spokesperson Krista Stockman said some FWCS students on the way to school did see the shooting.

Man charged with murder in connection with Tuesday's fatal shooting

Less than 24 hours earlier, Gerelle R. Borum, 22, of Fort Wayne was killed when he was shot while walking along Rudisill Boulevard near Indiana Avenue shortly after 1 pm Tuesday.  Witnesses told police the gunfire came from a red and white truck.  A short time later, officers located the truck and made a traffic stop.  

Police detained Josiah C. Thomas, 22, of Fort Wayne for questioning and later in the day he was charged with murder.

Violent crimes in 2013

The following is a list of violent crimes committed in Fort Wayne as of March 20:

• Jan. 11: Ryan Turner died of gunshot wounds  after going to a gas station on East Lewis Street for help.
• Jan 19: Jermaine Foster was  shot and killed in a car in the 7900-block of Serenity Drive.
• Jan 27:  Jeremy Crews was gunned down  and died in the hospital.
• Feb. 11: Nathaniel Rainer was found dead from gunshot wounds  in a vacant lot.
• Feb. 20: An armed robbery ended with Stephen Wattley II  being shot by police.
• Feb. 23: A heated argument led to a shooting  that left Antonio Galvan