State Police Investigate Deadly Hostage Standoff at Pinckneyville Prison

Illinois State Police are investigating circumstances involving a southern Illinois prison inmate taking an employee hostage before the prisoner was shot and killed by authorities.

The Illinois Department of Corrections has not yet publicly identified the 37-year-old inmate involved in Monday's nearly seven-hour standoff at the 2,200-inmate Pinckneyville Correctional Center.

The 62-year-old female employee who was taken hostage was rescued and evaluated by medical personnel. Her medical status was not immediately clear.

Messages left Tuesday with a Corrections spokeswoman weren't immediately returned.

Corrections officials say the offender was serving a sentence for aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping. The crimes took place in Cook County.