Deputies: Hostage situation ends in Orange County
21-year-old faces charges
Deputies: Hostage situation ends in Orange County
A 21-year-old man accused of holding his family hostage in Orange County faces charges after the incident ended peacefully, authorities said.
VIEW PHOTOS: Hostage situation
Louis Raphael faces charges of false imprisonment and aggravated assault.
The Orange County sheriff's SWAT team was called to a house in the 1600 block of Billingshurst Court, which is near the Country Club Villas of Rio Pinar at South Chickasaw Trail and El Prado Avenue in Union Park.
Deputies said a 16-year-old called authorities at 3 a.m. Tuesday, saying that his brother was holding the family -- Raphael's mother, his girlfriend, his brother and two cousins who are children -- hostage at gunpoint.
Negotiators talked with Raphael, and the incident ended around 8:30 a.m. No one was injured, although Raphael had superficial cuts on his arms, deputies said.
It's not known if any weapons were used, deputies said.
Two deputy cruisers were used to block a street into the neighborhood, and residents said deputies had advised them to stay inside their homes.
Neighbor Gloria Sibley told Local 6 the SWAT team arrived and asked to use her garage as the command post.
"It seemed very controlled," Sibley said.
Deputies said they don't know what prompted Raphael to hold his family hostage.
Sibley said she had never noticed any problems at the family's home before but that the family had experienced a tragedy.
"In July of 2004 their father was killed in a motor vehicle accident," Sibley said.
Raphael could face more charges as the investigation continues, authorities said.
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