A nearly week-long hostage standoff is over.
FBI agents stormed a bunker outside of Midland City, Alabama Monday afternoon, freeing a 5-year-old boy being held inside.
Jimmy Lee Dykes, the man who kidnapped the boy after killing his school bus driver, was killed.
Authorities said they made the decision to storm the bunker after they became concerned Dykes' apparently deteriorating mental condition.
"Within the past 24 hours negotiations deteriorated and Mr. Dykes was observed holding a gun," said the FBI's Steve Richardson. "At this point FBI agents fearing the child was in imminent danger entered the bunker and rescued the child. The child appears physically unharmed and is being treated at a local hospital. The suspect is deceased."
The boy, identified so far only as "Ethan", will celebrate his 6th birthday later this week.
-- Chris Clackum reports
