Ill. corrections officials say inmate who took employee hostage has been shot, killed

Officials: Inmate who took hostage is shot, killed

PINCKNEYVILLE, Ill. — Illinois prison officials say an inmate who took an employee hostage at the Pinckneyville Correctional Center in southern Illinois has been shot and killed.

The Illinois Department of Corrections says the 37-year-old inmate was pronounced dead at the scene about 5 p.m. Monday. That was about nearly seven hours after the incident began. His name hasn’t been released.

The hostage was a 62-year-old female employee. Officials say the woman was rescued and was being evaluated by medical personnel.

The agency says around 2,200 male inmates in the prison remain on lockdown and the facility is secure.

Corrections officials say the offender was serving a sentence for aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping.