Gunman kills 7, then takes hostages in Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP)

A gunman opened fire in two Michigan homes Thursday, killing seven people before leading police on a high-speed chase through downtown Grand Rapids, crashing his vehicle and taking hostages, authorities said.

Within hours, dozens of officers with guns drawn had cordoned off a neighborhood near a small lake in the northern part of the city and shut down nearby Interstate 96. With the man surrounded, state police warned some residents to stay in their homes and evacuated others.

"All the resources we have are there," Grand Rapids Police Chief Kevin Belk said. "Our goal, right now, is to get him into custody. We have him cornered, if you will, in one house."

Authorities did not have a motive for the suspect, 34-year-old Rodrick Shonte Dantzler, or disclose his exact relationship with the victims.

After negotiating with officers, Dantzler released a 53-year-old woman unharmed, Belk said. Two hostages remained inside.

Police believed the suspect remained agitated. They said shots had been fired when he entered the house and during the standoff, though apparently no one was injured.

"It's a very tense situation. Our officers are obviously in harm's way," the chief said.

The manhunt for Dantzler began after four people were found dead in one home and three were found in another across town. Two of the dead were children.

The names of the victims were not immediately released. Autopsies were scheduled for Friday.

"We believe there were prior relationships with at least one person at each location, so we think there were some difficulties there," Belk said.

Records show Dantzler was released from state prison in 2005 after serving time for assault less than murder. A spokesman for the prison system said he had not been under state supervision since then.