Final minutes of hostage drama

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 5

Final minutes of hostage drama

PA Palmerston North The final minutes of the 20-hour hostage drama were recorded in an interview between a . Palmerston North Radio 2XS announcer, Jon Hogan, and John Howard Barnes, who was then known only as Tiger Tooth. Moments after the interview, just before 2.30 p.m., Barnes released the 18-year-old woman, Bonita, he held in a Wood Street flat. Here is a transcript of the 2XS interview: Hogan: Is that Tiger Tooth? Barnes: Hey, who’s this? Hogan: Jon Hogan, mate, at 2X5... how are you? Barnes: Crying. Hogan: Yeah? Hey, listen man... Barnes: I want to talk on the radio that I’m giving up my hostage if I can talk over the radio. Hogan: okay mate, listen what I’m doing is... Barnes: I want to hear that one song again, my last song. £ t . Hogan: You want to hear “Promises in The Dark?” Barnes: Yeah. Hogan: And you’ll give yourself up if we play “Promises in The Dark?” Barnes: I’ll give myself up. What I want to do is hear the song. Hogan: Hey, Tiger Tooth,

how would you like to introduce it mate? Barnes: Yeah, and I, I’d like to say, you know, I give up, and then I’ll introduce the song... okay? Hogan: Okay, away you go Tiger Tooth. Barnes: Are you taping

it? Hogan: I am taping it. Barnes: And what I did was throw out the weapons, in good faith that I’m coming out Hogan: Good on you. Barnes: I’ve still got the rifle, but I can, you know,

I’ve thrown out the knife in good act, in good faith. Hogan: Listen mate I’ll play Pat Benatar’s “Promises in The Dark” for you again and you throw out that other gun and give yourself up, okay? Barnes: I will, but I wanna talk on the radio. Hogan: Way you go mate, I’m taping this and I’ll play it back on the air. Barnes: No, I wanna talk live...this will be my last one. Hogan: Okay mate we’re going live to air right now. Hostage: I’m the hostage here. Hogan: Are you ready. Hostage: I’m the hos... hostage. Live, is it live? Hogan: Yeah, we’re going live in about two seconds at the end of this song. Okay? Barnes: Okay. Hogan: Here we g 0... music 2XS and ah...time is 25 past six live on the phone. Tiger Tooth, how are you? Barnes: Good. Hogan: Mate, you’re live on the air at the moment...you wanted to say something to the people listening? Barnes: Yes, 1...1...the people that are listening is that I’ve held this hostage for a while, and... ah... I’m gonna give

myself up. I’m gonna let her

go. Hogan: You’re gonna let her go? Barnes: I’m gonna let her go because I’ve heard enough of everything and so have a lot of other people and I’m sorry, I really am sorry... I’m sorry man, I don’t care if you never love me again or anything. I’m sorry. I know I’m sorry and my mother and my family I’m just really sorry but I don’t care any more... I might... go to prison for life. I’m saying sorry all those people for causing so much trouble — I really am. Thank you 2XS, but I just wanna request one more song for me and my hostage... gonna come out, and that is “Promises in The Dark” by Pat Benatar. And that’s the song I just have to hear. Thank you very much.

Hogan: I’ll play that song right now okay? You go and give yourself up to the police. Barnes: Yeah. It’s gonna be done.

Hogan: Good on you Tiger Tooth. You go out and do it now and I’m gonna play that song for you. Barnes: Thank you. Forgive me New Zealand. Hogan: Here’s your song, Tiger Tooth.