Hostage drama at another US school

Bailey (Colorado): A middle-aged gunman walked into a high school of the mountain town of Bailey on Wednesday and took six girls hostage in a classroom.

The gunman began the takeover by ordering students to line up at the chalk board as he tapped each with his gun and told them to stay or go, a student in the classroom said on Thursday.

The hostage drama ended with the gunman killing one of his captives and himself after police commando team members entered the building, authorities said.

Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener said authorities decided to enter the school after the suspect cut off negotiations and set a deadline. At the time, the gunman had turned four student hostages loose but was still holed up with two girls.

''It was then decided that a tactical solution needed to be done in an effort to save the two hostages,'' the sheriff said, his voice breaking. ''Entry was made. The suspect shot one of the hostages, then shot himself.''

He said the suspect had threatened his hostages virtually throughout the four-hour ordeal. The suspect was not immediately identified, and the sheriff was at a loss to explain a motive.

''I don't know why he wanted to do this,'' Wegener said.

Sixteen-year-old Cassidy Grigg, a student of the school, said the man walked in, fired a warning shot at the floor and ordered the students to line up. He told some to leave and others - all girls - to stay. ''He tapped me on the shoulder and he told me to leave the room. I told him, 'I don't want to leave.'''

''He told me that if I didn't go then he would pretty much kill me,'' Cassidy told ABC's ''Good Morning America.'' ''I noticed that he wanted to keep the females in the class. That's the main reason why I didn't want to go because I'm sure the girls would have felt more support if there would have been some males in the class with them.''

No one recognised the man, who seemed to be dressed as a student, Cassidy said.

The Platte Canyon High School at the tiny mountain town was closed on Thursday, a day after the mysterious gunman held the girls for hours before fatally wounding one and then killing himself as authorities stormed in.