Hostage situation at lingerie store ends peacefully

Fayetteville, N.C. — Fayetteville police are investigating a hostage situation that occurred Monday afternoon inside a local lingerie store.

The situation ended peacefully after a little more than an hour, and no one was injured, although circumstances about the case were still unclear.

Fayetteville police responded to a report of robbery in progress at Priscilla's at 3800 Sycamore Dairy Road at about 12:41 p.m.

Police Lt. David Sportsman said a man, whose name was not immediately available, walked into the business with what appeared to be a bomb, allowed two customers to leave and a female store manager hostage.

Sportsman did not give any information about a motive or why the alleged perpetrator targeted the store.

Investigators were talking with the store manager, perpetrator and were urging the customers to contact them regarding the situation.

Officers evacuated nearby businesses, and roads surrounding the store were blocked off for hours as members of the county's bomb squad swept the store as a precaution.

Authorities did not find an explosive device.

Sportsman said the man also demanded to speak to Lt. Charles Disponzio, the head of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office's homicide unit. Sportsman said investigators believe Disponzio is a mutual acquaintance of the man.

Disponzio did respond to the scene, but the man surrendered before he could talk to him.

Authorities urge anyone with information about the case to contact the Fayetteville Police Department at 910-433-1856.