Cops: armed man held family hostage in Lee County home

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. (AP) -- A hostage situation between an armed man and two family members in southwest Florida has ended peacefully.

Lee County Sheriff's deputies headed into a duplex early Saturday morning after reports of gunshots where they say an armed man was holed up inside with two family members.

Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Larry King said hostage negotiators talked with the man inside while one of the women escaped through a back window. But the man's mother, who is in a wheelchair, was still inside. Negotiators eventually convinced him to bring her outside. At that time the unidentified suspect was arrested.

Authorities said the incident escalated from an argument the night before.

The Fort Myers News-Press reports charges may be pending.