CAÑON CITY, Colo. -- An armed robber was shot and killed Wednesday night following an 8 1/2-hour standoff in Cañon City.

[url]http://www.thedenverchannel.com/den/news/stories/news-156553320020718-110733.html[/url]

Police said the standoff began shortly before noon when a gunman entered the Palace Drug Store on Main Street and demanded narcotics, firing one shot into the ceiling. Most of the drugstore employees were able to get out of the pharmacy through a back door, but a female employee was taken hostage by the gunman, according to police.

Police were called in and talked the gunman into releasing the unidentified hostage about an hour later. They continued to talk to the gunman during the next sevenhours as the downtown area around the pharmacy was evacuated.

The standoff ended around 8 p.m., when the robber went to the front of the store and pointed his gun at officers, police said. Police fired four or five shots, hitting the suspect a number of times. It was not immediately known if the gunman fired at officers.

The suspect was rushed to a local hospital where it died a short time later from gunshot wounds. He was not identified.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate the shooting.

Another piece of crap criminal takes a dirt nap!  Don't it make you smile.

Population control is great!