Kane County inmate shot by police after hostage situation at Delnor Hospital in Geneva

GENEVA – An officer was shot and a Kane County inmate is dead after a hostage situation Saturday at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva.

About 1 p.m. Saturday, an inmate from the Kane County Jail who was being treated at the hospital disarmed a corrections officer and took two nurses hostage. After an hours-long standoff, a police SWAT team broke in and fatally shot the man.

A police officer was shot during the incident as well. He was wearing protective gear and has since been released from treatment.

The Illinois State Police are investigating the incident.

Tywon Salters, 21, of Chicago had been at the hospital receiving treatment since May 8. He had been held at the jail on charges of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, police said.

The incident began on the third floor of the hospital in Salters’ room. Salters disarmed the officer and took a nurse hostage. The nurse got away; however, police declined to say how.

Salters then took a second nurse hostage in a different location on the third floor and proceeded downstairs to the emergency room area, Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said.

Restraints were present in Salters’ room, but it’s unclear whether they were used, McMahon said.

The SWAT team attempted to negotiate with Salters over the telephone for several hours, but eventually, communications broke down, which is when a decision was made to break into the room to rescue the hostage, police said. The incident ended about 4 p.m.

Kim Waterman, media relations specialist for Northwestern Medicine, said the hospital is extremely grateful for the police response and ability to keep employees and patients safe.

She said that the hospital has policies and training in place for emergency situations such as these.

“We do a lot of training for incidents like this,” she said. “We work closely with our partners in law enforcement so we are prepared.”