Chicago police: Man held hostage after armed robbery attempt

CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago police and firefighters converged on an apartment building Thursday in the city's South Loop where an attempted armed robbery turned into a hostage situation, police said.

Officers who responded about 10:30 a.m. to a call about an attempted robbery called in a SWAT team after learning that a man was being held at gunpoint, said Karie James, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Police Department.

The armed man was refusing to exit the building along South Wabash Avenue, said Officer Jessica Rocco, a police spokeswoman, said. She said the confrontation began shortly before 11 a.m.

James said that the hostage situation was still under way as of about 12:20 p.m.

No injuries have been reported, but a man there may have fired at least one shot, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt. He said an ambulance and fire truck were standing by at the scene.