2 women held hostage in Pinellas Park by man with AR-15 style weapon, police say

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (WFLA) — Two women were held hostage at a Pinellas Park home on Saturday after a man threatened them with an AR-15-style weapon, police said.

Around 2:30 p.m., the Pinellas Park Police Department responded to a home in the 9000 block of 50th Way for an armed domestic disturbance.

Inside, they found 37-year-old Russell Rippey armed with the firearm, along with additional handguns.

A SWAT team was dispatched to the home, where they freed the two hostages inside— Rippey’s girlfriend, a 48-year-old woman, and a friend of the girlfriend, a 74-year-old woman. They were not injured.

Officials contacted Rippey inside the home, where he eventually exited and was taken into custody.

Investigators discovered that Rippey’s girlfriend invited a male friend over to help the woman during the domestic disturbance. When the man arrived at the home, Rippey threatened him with the AR-15 rifle, while continuing to “batter” his girlfriend.

During the incident, the man was able to escape the home and call law enforcement.

Rippey was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. Police said additional charges may be pending.

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