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Mark W. Smith: Online police scanner an eerie window into gunman's standoff

Seven people, including two children, had been killed. The gunman was on the loose.

After a police chase that included the suspect, Rodrick Shonte Dantzler, leading police the wrong way on I-96, attention turned to a nearby home, where he had fled on foot.

Dantzler now held three hostages he did not know.

As Grand Rapids residents sought more information on the situation, many of them turned to social media for a real-time window into the events as they unfolded.

Attention quickly turned to a live Web stream of Grand Rapids scanner traffic , provided by a Web site called Scan Michigan.

Thousands began passing around the link on social networks. Nearly 10,000 people were soon tuned in to a live stream of the scanner traffic.

It was an eerie, often frightening look into the situation inside the house.

Twitter users who were listening in posted a live play-by-play of the suspect's demands and the police response.

What resulted was a tense and gripping hours-long standoff listened to live by a Web audience that gathered together on social networks, sharing instant analysis and their own fear.

On the scanner, hushed voices could be heard of officers who had worked themselves into the home, where Dantzler had barricaded himself in a bedroom.

As officers entered the garage: "Be careful, he's right above you guys."

Later, a heads-up that the suspect was "rarely on his feet." Mostly crawling.

"So crazy to hear whispers of police inside the house, down the hall," said Twitter user Neely Adkins.

At times, voices of the hostages could be heard in the background.

When Dantzler made his first request of police — he wanted some Gatorade — Twitter lit up with messages.

"Wants Gatorade delivered to back door in next 2 minutes or is going to shoot hostage," Twitter user Ryan Slusarzyk posted.

The word Gatorade soon would become a trending topic among Twitter users in Detroit, too, a reflection of how many posts mentioned the sports drink.

At 11:24 p.m., scanner traffic indicated that Dantzler wanted to surrender.

Police began to make their expectations clear.

"Tell him to exit with his hands up, nothing in his hands."

Then, at 11:29 p.m., with nearly 14,000 people tuning in from their computers:

"Shots fired. Moving in."

What followed wasn't immediately clear, other than the hostages were apparently OK.

"We need medical here.

7 die in Michigan shootings, suspect is holding hostages (live police

Police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have surrounded a suspect who they believe killed seven people in two shootings, including one child, officials said Thursday night.

He is thought to have two hostages inside the home where he is holed up, Police Chief Kevin Belk told reporters. Negotiators have been in contact with the suspect, identified as Rodrick Dantzler, 34.

Police believe the two shootings are related and that the suspect may have known individuals at both locations, according to police spokesman Jon Wu.

Dantzler ran into the home after a roughly 15-minute chase from the police, said Wu. Shots were fired and a female pedestrian was wounded by gunfire during the chase, he said.

A second individual suffered non life-threatening injuries, said Belk.

The police chief declined to provide any details about the two people thought to be held hostage, except to say that police did not believe they had been injured.

“We’re trying to communicate with the suspect, hoping that he will release them and then turn himself in,” said Belk. “Our hope, our prayer is that we’ll have a peaceful resolution here.”

Police describe Dantzler as 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 250 pounds. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Four bodies were found Thursday afternoon at one location and three were discovered at another.

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