Crisis Management: Hostage Scenario

The primary issue determining whether or not a crisis situation is a hostage scenario is whether human lives are at stake (McMains & Mullins, 2010, p.12). Bradley has taken a total of 11 hostages: his wife Susan, her professor whom Bradley believes is her lover, and nine other students. Bradley has not made an explicit threat to their lives, but he has weapons with him, is not allowing the hostages to leave, and is clearly in a highly emotional state. While it is a hostage scenario, it is not what one considers a true hostage scenario. In those scenarios, the hostage has no value to the hostage taker (McMains & Mullins, 2010, p.13). Susan is Bradley's wife; therefore, she has value to him. Moreover, the professor has some value to Bradley; as Susan's suspected lover, he is not interchangeable with other hostages. Therefore, this scenario qualifies...
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