Children were killed at beginning of 21-hour Orlando hostage standoff, police say
ORLANDO, Fla. _ For most or all of the 21-hour standoff between police and Gary Wayne Lindsey Jr., it's likely the four children authorities believed he was holding as hostages were already dead, the Orlando Police Department revealed Thursday.
In a statement, the agency said its homicide detectives now believe the kids _ Irayan Pluth, 11; Lillia Pluth, 10; Aidan Lindsey, 6; and Dove Lindsey, 1 _ were killed "either shortly before or shortly after" Lindsey exchanged gunfire with police about midnight Monday, prior to the standoff that dragged on until that evening.
Detectives believe the children were killed in their sleep, OPD said.
They were found wearing the same bedtime clothes in which their mother, 31-year-old mother Ciara Lopez, had dressed them Sunday night, when she called police to report she had been battered by Lindsey, authorities said Thursday.
When officers responded to the call, Lindsey shot and critically injured Officer Kevin Valencia, then barricaded himself inside Lopez's unit at the Westbook Apartments.
OPD Chief John Mina told reporters on Tuesday that the department couldn't specify when the children were killed. He said there was "never any indication" during the standoff that the four kids were in danger.
_Orlando Sentinel
