LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: A four-day-old Maryland standoff is now over. Police stormed an apartment late last night, killing murder suspect Joseph Palczynski. CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now from Dundalk, Maryland. She brings us up to date on this case -- Kathleen.</s>KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Leon, this working-class neighborhood east of Baltimore is heaving a huge sigh of relief today. Thirty-one-year-old Joseph Palczynski, accused of four separate murders, is finally no longer a threat. The beginning and the end came about 10:20 last night when one of the hostages, Lynn Whitehead, managed to escape from the front right window of the rowhouse several blocks behind me where she and her boyfriend, Andy McCord, and his son, were being held. McCord then climbed out the same window to waiting police about 10 minutes later. Now, behind, asleep on the kitchen floor remained his 12-year-old son with Palczynski asleep on the sofa when police took action.</s>BILL TOOHEY, BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE: Joseph Palczynski is dead. He was shot by Baltimore County tactical officers shortly after 11:00 tonight and died at 11:05 on the scene.</s>KOCH: The hostages were taken immediately to Baltimore County Police headquarters for debriefing. They were ecstatic, so happy to be free. Police officers say that none -- no officers nor the hostages were hurt during the resolution of this crisis. Palczynski apparently did not fire any shots at the officers, though he did apparently have a gun in his lap. Now, the area here is finally getting back to normal. Residents are being allowed back into their homes, though the crime scene itself is still cordoned off. Palczynski's body was removed only about 10 minutes ago. But everyone here, again, is just very relieved that this long, five-day nightmare is finally over. Search CNN.com CNNSI.com CNNmoney.com The Web
Four-Day Maryland Standoff Ends; Hostages Unhurt, Captor Dead