Gunman takes over Arizona TV station

Press, 31 May 1982, Page 9

Gunman takes over Arizona TV station

NZPA Phoenix, Arizona A television anchorman in Phoenix, Arizona, was forced to read a 20-minute statement about God and future wars on the air before a gunman pointing a pistol at his stomach would surrender to the police, ending a sevenhour siege yesterday. A Kool-TV anchorman, Bill Close, one of four hostages seized when the gunman burst into the station, made no reference to the hostage situation as he read the statement.

The gunman, who claimed that 10 country singers were prophets and that the public was being mentally programmed through telepathy, originally bad demanded that the statement be televised nationally, but it was carried only locally.

The police said that Joe Billy Gwin, aged 28, of Phoenix, would be booked for investigation of seven felony charges: three counts of armed kidnapping, three of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and at least one count of armed burglary. The gunman kept another

hostage, Louie' Villa,' a cameraman, in a choke hold — one arm locked around Mr Villa’s neck — while pointing a ,38-calibre revolver at Villa’s head through much of the ordeal. The police said that during the statement, Gwin held a gun on Mr Close under a table.

The back of Mr Villa’s shirt was soaked with blood from a blow to the head the gunman delivered with the butt of his pistol as he burst into the studio.

Two other hostages — a floor manager, Jack Webb, and a cameraman, Bob Cimino — reached safety earlier when. they individually were sent to bring back drinks of water.

In the statement, the gunman . said the public was

being mentally programmed through telepathy, and he described Islam, tunnel vision, sociology, and hypnosis. The statement predicted that a third world war would break out in the 19905, that Senator Edward Kennedy will be elected United States President, and that five

cities with 15 million “Anglo men” will be formed in Arkansas, New Mexico, Nebraska and Idaho.

The gunman interrupted Mr Close to add that “these men will be homosexuals.”

“I am a homoesexual. They will be my brothers,” he said,, then had Mr Close continue reading the statement. In it he called himself the Man from Islam, but also spoke of Islam as a source of evil.

As Mr Close concluded the rambling statement, which the C.8.5.-affiliate station broadcast during an interruption of network programming, he told viewers the statement was a Kool special presentation.

The man then handed his gun to Mr Close, who placed it on a desk out of reach. The two men then shook hands as the police moved in.

Afterward, Mr Close said he felt he remained in control most of the time, “but there were a couple of times that I started sucking air a little deeply.”