Episode 1 | The Man with the Gun
American Hostage
The premiere episode of American Hostage recounts the beginning of a 1977 hostage crisis in Indianapolis. Local news reporter Fred Heckman r
Key takeaways
- Tony Karitsis utilized a 'dead man's line' involving a 12-gauge shotgun wired to Dick Hall's head.
- The incident occurred at 129 Canton Street in Indianapolis during February 1977.
Main topics
- 1977 Indianapolis hostage crisis
- Journalistic ethics and neutrality
Notable quotes
I've got him here wired shotgun barrel strapped to the back of his head.
Conclusion
A gripping introduction that illustrates how a reporter's pursuit of a
Transcript preview
Speaker 1 (0:04) American Hostage is an Amazon original and criminal content production starring Jon Hamm, Carla Gugino, Joe Perino, Dylan Baker, and Becky Ann Baker, directed by Shawn Christensen. This podcast is based on a true story of a hostage crisis that took place in Indianapolis in 1977. Listener discretion is advised. Episode 1, The Man with the Gun. Speaker 6 (0:36) The seven-second delay for live television was introduced in 1975 by NBC so that Richard Pryor could host Saturday Night Live without the network getting fined for all of his obscenities. The delay would also be useful, we discovered, if a man were to be shot point-blank in the head live on national television. Speaker 2 (1:22) Indianapolis 911, what's your emergency? Yes, Speaker 3 (1:24) this the police? Speaker 2 (1:26) This is 911 dispatch, yes sir. Is Speaker 3 (1:28) Lieutenant Collins there? Speaker 2 (1:30) Uh, no sir, he's not on dispatch. Well, who Speaker 3 (1:32) you got there, who you got there, ain't high enough to take this call. Speaker 2 (1:36) I can help you sir, if you can tell me what you're Speaker 3 (1:38) - Speaker 2 (1:38) Yes! You stand up! Do you think I won't do it, you stupid son of Speaker 3 (1:42) a Speaker 2 (1:42) bitch? Speaker 3 (1:42) Sir? Speaker 2 (1:43) Sir? Alright, Speaker 3 (1:44) alright, I'm gonna tell you now, and you're gonna listen good, and I don't repeat myself, so you listen up now, you understand? Speaker 2 (1:51) Yes, I'm listening, sir. All right. Speaker 3 (1:52) I've done a thing. A real serious thing. The kind of thing you aren't used to hearing about, I bet. I've taken a prisoner. And I've got him here wired shotgun barrel strapped to the back of his head. And this ain't no crank call. You understand me? Speaker 2 (2:05) Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I understand. But you say you've got something wired up, a shotgun wired up... I've got a Speaker 3 (2:10) real deal. 12-gauge shotgun wired up to the back of his head. And anything happens to me, it goes off. And if he moves, it goes off. And I got it so there's a hundred ways it goes off and only one way it don't. And that's keeping me alive and good. You understand? I understand. And this ain't no crank call. Speaker 2 (2:26) Yes, sir, this is not a crank call. I don't ever Speaker 3 (2:28) have much for anyone to take. And these motherfuckers find some way to take it all. And I'm mad as hell. I swear to God, he's almost as good as dead. He's never been closer to dead than he is right now. Sir, Speaker 2 (2:36) can you please talk to me and lower the gun, please? I Speaker 3 (2:40) am talking to you, sir. And I ain't lowering the gun. Can Speaker 2 (2:42) you tell me how many people you've got with you over there? I Speaker 3 (2:45) just Speaker 2 (2:45) got one. Speaker 3 (2:46) One's all I wanted. Decaw is who I got. The son of a bitch. Speaker 2 (2:52) Now, Speaker 3 (2:53) I'm a Speaker 2 (2:53) mad, mean motherfucker, lady. I understand. And I'm the real deal. Yes, sir, I understand. The real deal. And I'm sorry Speaker 3 (3:00) I gotta bother you all like this, but it ain't the real Speaker 2 (3:02) deal. Speaker 3 (3:02) Can Speaker 2 (3:02) you please tell me where you are? Speaker 3 (3:04) 129 Canton Street. Canton, you said? 129 Canton Street on the fourth floor in Dick Hall's office. And I'm gonna tell you again, the way you got this wired is you kill me, you kill him. My hand goes back and my fingers go limp and he's eating shotgun shells out of the back of his head, I swear to Speaker 2 (3:19) God. I know. So we're going to send over some of our fellas and see what we can do Speaker 3 (3:23) for them. We're going to Speaker 2 (3:23) get this settled, baby. Well, please don't kill them. We're sending police on their way. You're Speaker 3 (3:28) goddamn fucking right. Speaker 5 (3:33) Radio Indiana. W-I-B-Z. Indianapolis. Speaker 6 (3:44) For me, there are three tenets of journalism. One, don't make it personal. Two, don't pick a side. And three, don't become the story. I broke all three of those in the span of a single phone call. Speaker 7 (4:00) Good morning, I'm Fred Heckman, Tuesday, Speaker 3 (4:02) February 8th, 1977. Speaker 6 (4:04) A burst water main on Stanwood Drive shuts down a hardware store and a family restaurant, and the Pacers see a win against the Chicago Bulls as they adapt to their first year in the National Basketball League. Speaker 5 (4:15) We'll speak with Slick Leonard as Speaker 6 (4:17) the team prepares to face off with the New York Knicks tomorrow night. And speaking of special occasions... Today, Gary Wilcox will be coming in to finish up this program while the station kicks me out to celebrate my wedding anniversary. Station owner Jim Hilliard was nice enough to let me come in and keep my perfect attendance record, and he's also nice enough to keep my marriage afloat. So, Barbara, honey, I'm coming home. We'll be right back with Gary Wilcox, more news, the weather, and sports. From myself, Fred Heckman, at the WIBC studio, I hope you all have a terrific day, and I look forward to talking with you tomorrow. Speaker 5 (4:50) Sing a little song, you might sing it wrong So wrong, so wrong, you might sing it wrong Speaker 5 (5:04) when WIBC News Editor Lou Palmer gave the 7 o'clock news, bringing for them a kind of order out of the chaos. Speaker 7 (5:11) Good morning, Fred. Speaker 6 (5:12) Ronnie! Speaker 5 (5:13) You Speaker 6 (5:14) know, I hear they make ties in different colors. I know. How you doing, Gary? Speaker 5 (5:19) Your beauty sleep serves us all. Okay, Speaker 6 (5:28) okay. What was I looking for? Speaker 6 (5:36) Ah, there he is. You are out of here. Speaker 5 (5:40) Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear you, Jim. That was quite the sign-off, Fred. Now my wife's going to ask where her proclamation of love is. Well, Speaker 6 (5:49) it's not like she was listening. Speaker 5 (5:52) I'm sure she would appreciate it. Well, I think after 32 years she's heard everything I have to say. You're a workaholic, Fred. That takes a toll on other things. Speaker 6 (6:03) It's been a slow year. It's been a fast decade. You got Swede Savage, Speaker 5 (6:07) the ABA championship. You got Elvis friggin' Presley on the phone. And you're going home to tell your wife, I love you. You are my everything. Nothing is more important than you. You hear me? Speaker 6 (6:20) Yeah. Speaker 5 (6:21) All right. I'll see you tomorrow. Tomorrow. Speaker 5 (6:34) When Speaker 6 (6:35) I started working at WIBC,