St. Charles Hostage Situation Began With O’Fallon Man Lying in Wait

In the moments before Terrence D. Mahone engaged in a two-hour standoff with police in a St. Charles parking garage, he lay in wait in his victim's vehicle.

According to court documents filed this morning, Mahone, who is in his early 40s and lives in O’Fallon, Missouri, hid in the back of the car directly behind the driver's seat in a parking garage near several government buildings, including St. Charles’ City Hall and Courthouse.

When the unidentified female victim got into her car, she started screaming, presumably upon realizing Mahone was in the vehicle. Mahone yelled at her to stop.

When she continued to scream, Mahone fired one shot inside the car.

Bystanders who heard the gunshot and the woman's screams called the police, and soon thereafter sheriff's deputies followed by a SWAT team arrived on the scene. Mahone refused to get out of the vehicle.

A standoff ensued, beginning a little before 10 a.m. and not ending until a few minutes after noon.

Mahone was ultimately talked down and coaxed into surrendering by officers. He refused an interview with police, the probable cause statement says.

Mahone was charged this morning with felony unlawful use of a weapon. His address is listed as in O'Fallon. He is currently in the St. Charles County jail.

The victim in the case was described yesterday by police as being unharmed.

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