WYTHEVILLE, Va. — A man accused of taking three people captive in a Virginia post office told them he was angry at the federal government because his son had died in Afghanistan and his beloved truck was about to repossessed, one of the captives said Thursday.
Warren “Gator” Taylor, 53, of Sullivan County, Tenn., was arraigned Thursday on kidnapping and other federal charges. The captives were released unharmed after about eight hours Wednesday and Taylor surrendered.
On Thursday, Taylor apologized in federal court in Roanoke for getting “everybody out on Christmas.”
Federal officials said Taylor was angry at the federal government and told them he had planned the standoff for months or years.
Captive Jimmy Oliver said Taylor told him he picked the small-town Wytheville post office at random.
Front Section, Pages 11 on 12/25/2009