Sheriff Hopefuls Spar Over Handling Of Delnor Hostage Situation

Candidates seeking Republican and Democratic nominations for the Kane County Sheriff post in the upcoming primary have different views on how a 2017 hostage situation at Delnor Hospital should have played out. Willie M. Mayes, Sr., who is a deputy lieutenant and 25-year veteran with the sheriff's office, and Ron Hain, a sergeant who has been with the sheriff's office since 2003, are vying for the democratic nomination in the March 20 primary. Sheriff Don Kramer is seeking a second term and faces challenger Kevin Tindall, a patrol sergeant and the bomb squad commander with the sheriff's office, in the GOP primary.

Hain, Mayes and Tindall all said two guards should have been on duty to guard Tywon Salters, 21, during the May 13, 2017 hostage situation at Delnor, according to the Daily Herald. The guard on duty unshackled Salters, an inmate being treated at the hospital, so Salters could go to the washroom. Salters stole his gun and took two nurses hostage.

Tindall, who was on duty the day of the hostage situation at Delnor, questioned a policy in place that requires a lieutenant, who happened to be off-duty that day, to OK approval for a SWAT team. Thankfully, he said, the lieutenant answered his phone but Tindall said authority should also be given to shift commanders to make that call, the Daily Herald reports.

He also criticized Kramer for not being at the scene but Kramer defended that decision, according to the article. He said he tore his toenail off, had trouble walking and added there was nothing "I could have done at the scene but gotten in the way."

Kramer said Tindall never brought up any concerns about policies currently in place during staff meetings, but instead waited for his campaign for sheriff to make his disdain known, the Daily Herald reports. Kramer added the jail guard on duty failed to do his job. A review of policies and procedures in place at the sheriff's office was completed following the hostage situation.

The hostage situation ended when a SWAT team rushed the hospital and shot Salters dead.

One of the nurses held hostage was reportedly tortured, beaten, held at gunpoint and raped by Salters, according to the woman's attorney. The two nurses that were held hostage, two patients at the hospital, the nurse's husbands, and two other nurses have filed complaints as part of the ongoing lawsuit regarding the handling of the hostage situation, according to an article last month by the Daily Herald.

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Sheriff Donald Kramer/Photo credit: Don Kramer Facebook page