( CNN ) -- [ Breaking news update 2:20 a.m . ET ] The hostage standoff in St. Joseph , Louisiana , has ended with the hostage taker dead , police said . The two hostages were getting medical treatment . [ Original story ] One bank employee was freed , while two of her colleagues remained held at gunpoint Tuesday night inside a rural Louisiana bank , as a slew of law enforcement manned positions and worked for a peaceful resolution . The woman 's negotiated release came about eight hours into the standoff at Tensas State Bank 's branch in St. Joseph , Louisiana , a town of about 1,200 people in northeastern Louisiana . State Police Col. Michael Edmonson described her going free as a `` positive , '' while noting that the situation remains tense and dangerous . `` It 's a fluid , active scene , '' Edmonson told reporters around 9 p.m. ( 10 p.m . ET ) . `` We still have two hostages in there . '' The ordeal began around 12:30 p.m. , when a 20-year-old man entered the bank branch in St. Joseph with a handgun , apparently intent on robbing it , according to officials . For whatever reason , he ended up staying there and taking three bank employees , two women and one man , hostage . Edmonson said he was n't sure `` what statement ( the suspect ) was trying to make or ( if ) something ... just went bad , '' adding there was `` no reason for him to want these particular individuals in the bank . '' Born in California , the hostage-taker moved with his family to northeastern Louisiana , where his family owns a convenience store , Edmonson said . The Mississippi River community of St. Joseph -- which is located about 35 miles south of Tallulah , Louisiana , and 35 miles north of Natchez , Mississippi -- is the parish seat of Tensas Parish , which has about 5,000 people . After word got out about the hostage situation , local , state and federal law enforcement agents descended on the quiet community . Law enforcement agents have been able to talk to the hostages . They also spoke with the gunman , who Edmonson said `` has made some demands of us . '' He did not elaborate . `` We 're walking through those , we 're trying to talk to him very calm , '' the police colonel said . `` ... We believe ( the hostages ) to be safe . We know him to be armed . '' Authorities were interviewing the freed female hostage , according to Edmonson . They 'll also provide `` food and provisions '' for the other two captives , as well as the man holding them . `` We 're going to stay here as long as it takes , '' the police colonel said . `` Our No . 1 goal is to make sure that those ( hostages ) come out of there safely , and ( we 'll do ) whatever it takes to do that . '' Authorities shut down part of the road where the bank is located in St. Joseph , but otherwise all traffic in the town is moving , said parish homeland security spokeswoman Jane Netterville . She denied rumors that there may be explosives involved , saying `` there are no confirmed bomb threats at this time . '' Edmonson said he talked to , and prayed with , relatives of the hostages and that some of the suspect 's relatives have tried to approach the area . Asked earlier Tuesday by CNN what she 'd tell the gunman , Netterville said , `` I would say , 'Let the people go , just let them go . ' '' `` 'Do n't harm anyone . Whatever your situation is , you 're better off if you just let the hostages go and then let us deal with you , in whatever way we 'll deal with you . ' '' CNN 's Alina Machado and Joe Sutton contributed to this report .
NEW : Authorities interview the freed female hostage , state police leader says . TO : The remaining hostages , the suspect will get ` ` ##s and provisions '' A man armed with a handgun holds hostages inside a nearby house . The suspect 's family owns a nearby convenience store , state police leader says .