Hostage scene at 103-28 125th St. (NYPD)
Nov. 19, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Police have arrested two men who held a family hostage at gunpoint in Richmond Hill Tuesday night–as part of a botched robbery attempt.
The two men, Tex Ortiz, 35, and Wilbert Wilson, 51, allegedly invaded the family’s home on 125th Street near Liberty Avenue, police said.
The duo was looking for cash inside the house, which a resident reportedly owed them. However the resident had died of cancer in October, according to news reports.
Ortiz and Wilson instead found four women and an infant at the Richmond Hill house.
They released one of the women, a 33-year-old, and the infant shortly before 9 p.m., police said. The woman then called 911 and alerted police that three other women were still being held hostage inside the home.
Police were able to negotiate the release of the three women – ages 33, 62 and 92 – during an hours long standoff with the two men. The men released the women shortly after midnight, police said.
The pair then surrendered roughly two hours later at about 2 a.m. Wednesday.
No gunfire was exchanged during the standoff, police officials said.
The men — who both have criminal records — were charged with robbery. The investigation remains ongoing and the charges are likely to be upgraded.
A Queens home invasion turned into a hostage situation. @NYPDSpecialops & Hostage Negotiation Unit members worked to de-escalate & safely get the hostages out, & took the armed suspects into custody this morning — all without a single shot being fired.
Great work by your police! https://t.co/NLREZ2nvyh pic.twitter.com/QSqrAt09fp
— Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) November 18, 2020
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