Inmates commit suicide, hostages free   

高雄監獄挾持14小時：6嫌犯自盡 典獄長安全獲釋

據臺灣“中央社”報道，臺灣高雄監獄受刑人挾持典獄長，與警方對峙，警方12日凌晨近5時準備攻堅行動，但監獄內傳出多起槍響。臺灣法務部門官員陳明堂受訪證實，經確認6嫌犯舉槍自盡，典獄長陳世志安全獲釋。[查看全文]

Six inmates who were holding two staff hostage at a prison in Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung killed themselves on Thursday morning, bringing to end a 10-hour standoff, Taiwan's local cable TV network Eastern Television reported.

The six at Kaohsiung Prison in southern Taiwan armed with guns, took the prison warden and one other officer hostage on Wednesday afternoon.

The prisoners fired several shots heard outside the prison. Heavily armed SWAT police were dispatched to the scene. There have been no reports of injuries.

The inmates pretended to seek medical attention at about 4 pm local time and took an undisclosed number of prison officials hostage to the prison armory where they took four rifles and six handguns as well as over 200 bullets, according to deputy justice chief Chen Ming-tang.

Deputy warden Lai Chen-jung and head guard Wang Shih-tsang then offered to swap places with the hostages, Chen said.

Warden Chen Shih-chih then offered himself as a hostage in exchange for his deputy's release, leaving the gunmen with Wang and Warden Chen, officials said.

The inmates, reportedly serving prison terms for various crimes including drug offenses, robbery and murder, have demanded a getaway car, Chen said.

As the faceoff continues, police are seeking to resolve the crisis through negotiation.