Crime & Safety

Delnor Hostage Situation: Investigation Underway After Nurses Held at Gunpoint; Inmate Shot, Killed

A 21-year-old inmate wrangled a gun away from a correction officer while at the hospital Saturday. An officer was also shot.

GENEVA, IL - A 21-year-old inmate being treated at Delnor Hospital stole a correction officer's 9 mm handgun on Saturday afternoon and held, at one point, two nurses hostage. The Kane County SWAT team ended up rescuing one of the nurses who remained held at gunpoint and against her will by Tywon Salters, 21, in a hospital room near the emergency room at about 4 p.m., according to police and media reports. Salters was killed after a North Aurora police department officer fired at least one shot at him, the Aurora Beacon-News reports.

The Illinois Police Public Integrity Task Force has now been requested to investigate the use of force during the officer-involved shooting, authorities said late Saturday.

Salters, of Chicago, had been in custody at the Kane County jail since April 11, however jail records show he has been in custody since March 11. Salters was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and was given a bail amount of $75,000.

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Twyon Salters, Image via Kane County Sheriff's Office

Emergency personnel were first called to the hospital, 300 Randall Road in Geneva, at about 12:30 p.m. Sources said a rush of ambulances headed to Delnor early Saturday afternoon and helicopters could be seen hovering overhead. The extra ambulances were on hand to transfer patients needing immediate emergency care to other area hospitals.

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The incident began after Salters was taken to the hospital and was receiving treatment in a room on the third floor of the hospital, according to the Aurora Beacon-News. He was under guard by Kane Co. correctional officers and it was unclear why he was there or how he was able to wrangle a gun away from a correctional officer, Kane County Sheriff's Office Lt. Patrick Gengler told the Aurora Beacon-News. There were restraints in the hospital room where Salters was being treated.

The hostage situation unfolded in a room near the first-floor emergency room at Delnor, the Daily Herald reports. The corrections officer was able to get away but Salters held a nurse hostage until she also managed to escape. Salters then left the room and took another nurse hostage, State's Attorney Joe McMahon said during a Saturday night news conference.

After negotiations between Kane County SWAT and Salters deteriorated, the SWAT team entered the hospital room to rescue the hostage victim, authorities said Saturday night. During entry, a Kane County SWAT member fired their weapon, striking Salters. Salters was pronounced deceased at the scene.

WATCH: Footage from the scene of the Delnor Hospital hostage standoff:


A member of the SWAT team was shot in the upper body and the bullet was lodged in his protective vest, according to the Daily Herald. It's unclear who shot the officer, Gengler said. The officer was treated and then released from the hospital.

The nurse was not injured but other people suffered minor injuries during the incident, according to the Aurora Beacon-News.

The main hospital was put on lockdown during the hostage situation and officials said patients were reportedly safe, police said as the hostage situation unfolded. Normal operations continued within the hospital but no one was allowed to go in or out at the time. The lockdown has since been lifted. The hospital began taking walk-ins again at 6 p.m. and ambulance service will resumed at 8 p.m.

The weapon was recovered at the scene. An autopsy on Salters will be scheduled by the Kane County Coroner.

An investigation is ongoing.

Those at the hospital when it was placed on lockdown posted to their Facebook pages to share information and let their acquaintances know they were safe.




Photo caption: Delnor Hospital (left) and Twyon Salters (right) Photo credit: Delnor Hospital's website and Kane County Sheriff's Office


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