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Florida hostage siege: Seven killed in Hialeah Florida hostage siege: Seven killed in Hialeah
(2 days later)
A gunman holding hostages in a building near Miami in the US state of Florida killed six people before being shot dead by police, officials say. A gunman holding hostages in an apartment block near Miami in Florida killed six people before being shot dead by police, officials say.
Officers stormed the block of flats in Hialeah, north of Miami, on Saturday morning after a stand-off lasting several hours. Pedro Vargas, 42, who lived in the residential complex with his elderly mother, was described as a body-building loner.
Officers stormed the block of flats in Hialeah, north of Miami, on Saturday morning after an hours-long stand-off.
Two hostages were freed unharmed, police said.Two hostages were freed unharmed, police said.
Five of the victims were found inside the complex. Another man was killed while walking across a street outside.Five of the victims were found inside the complex. Another man was killed while walking across a street outside.
'Screaming''Screaming'
A neighbour said Vargas was an anti-social type who liked to work out his anger by lifting weights.
"He'd just say this was the only thing that would keep him normal, pulling out all the anger in the gym," Jorge Bagos told the Associated Press news agency.
Mr Bagos said the gunman had expressed frustration over bad experiences with women and losing all his hair from steroid use.
"He said he'd rather be by himself, that women were no good," Mr Bagos said.
Police were called after shots were fired on Friday evening.Police were called after shots were fired on Friday evening.
They said gunman Pedro Vargas, 43, set his apartment on fire. When the building manager and his wife noticed the smoke and ran to his apartment, he shot them dead. They said Vargas set his apartment on fire. When the building manager Italo Pisciotti, 79, and his wife, Samira, 69, noticed the smoke and went to investigate, he shot them dead.
The couple's daughter Shamira Piscotti said: "I heard about 15 to 20 shots and so I went outside. He then began firing from his balcony, killing Carlos Javier Gavilanes, 33, who neighbours said was returning home from his son's boxing practice.
"My neighbours were screaming that my parents had been shot. I guess there was an altercation and the person opened fire on both of them." Then he stormed into another apartment, shooting dead a family of three: Patricio Simono, 64, Merly Niebles, 51, and her 17-year-old daughter, Priscilla Perez.
The attacker went on to kill a man walking in the street and a family of three who lived downstairs, police said. Vargas then barricaded himself in a flat and took two people hostage.
He is then believed to have barricaded himself in a flat and taken two people hostage.
Police moved in after almost eight hours of negotiations, local media said.Police moved in after almost eight hours of negotiations, local media said.
"They made the decision to go in there and save and rescue the hostages," Sgt Eddie Rodriguez told the Associated Press."They made the decision to go in there and save and rescue the hostages," Sgt Eddie Rodriguez told the Associated Press.
A 9mm pistol was found at the scene.A 9mm pistol was found at the scene.
Police say there was no clear motive for the shooting and they are still investigating the circumstances.Police say there was no clear motive for the shooting and they are still investigating the circumstances.