Gunman surrenders in hostage ordeal at Virginia post office

A daylong hostage standoff ended late Wednesday when an armed, disabled man wheeled himself out of a post office in Wytheville, Virginia, and was taken into custody, police said.

The alleged gunman, identified by police as Warren "Gator" Taylor, 53, of Sullivan County, Tennessee, surrendered in a wheelchair, said Wythe County Sherrif's Office Chief Deputy Keith Dunagan. All three hostages walked out without injury.

Wytheville Mayor Trent Crewe breathed a sigh of relief when the almost nine-hour ordeal finally ended.

"All of them are all right, thank God," Crewe said. "I am elated that it's over."

Negotiators from the FBI and the Virginia State Police negotiated the suspect's surrender and the release of the hostages, said a law enforcement source familiar with the situation.

Taylor entered the Wytheville post office at about 2:30 p.m., pushing a wheelchair with a black duffle bag on the seat. Taylor is missing a leg and wears a prosthetic, Dunagan said.