Facebook complicates negotiations in Gateway Center standoff

Facebook and other social media present a new version of an old problem for police dealing with hostage negotiations, said a retired New York police captain who helped found a hostage response team in the 1970s.

Frank Bolz, a private consultant, said he once climbed a pole and cut a phone line with an ax to stop friends and family from calling and interfering with a negotiation.

“Ninety-nine percent of the people want to help, but they're not trained,” he said. “Friends may end up hurting him. Many times, those conversations don't go in the right direction.”

The NYPD developed a special Technical Assistance Response Unit with expertise in new communication and social media for such situations, he said.

Friends, family and strangers chimed in on Friday once suspect Klein Michael Thaxton, 22, of McKeesport started posting to his Facebook page while holding a man hostage for almost six hours in Three Gateway Center, Downtown.

Pittsburgh police monitored Thaxton's Facebook posts and worked with the U.S. Attorney's Office to have the page taken down about five hours into the standoff.

Pittsburgh police Chief Nate Harper called Facebook a help and a hindrance. But it drew the suspect's attention away from his hostage, he said. “He was focusing on Facebook versus focusing on harming the victim,” Harper said.

Such incidents are occurring with increasing frequency, experts said. Most notably, Jason Valdez, 37, held a woman hostage in an Ogden, Utah, motel for 16 hours while posting updates to Facebook that included photos of his hostage in June 2011.

“It's of great concern to us,” said Nancy Kolb, who oversees the International Association of Chiefs of Police Center for Social Media. “These can be dangerous situations for everyone involved.”

Social media do offer police a way of reaching a suspect and resolving a confrontation, she said.

“It seems like it could be useful in better understanding the motives (of a suspect),” said Nick Ker, owner of Ker Communications in Pittsburgh and a commercial social media expert.

Lou Kilzer is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-380-5628 or lkilzer@tribweb.com. Brian Bowling is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-325-4301 or bbowling@tribweb.com. Staff writer Margaret Harding contributed.