I am for the use of a drone in a situation like this. For one simple reason, it saves lives. The police could have just sent in a large swat force and the shooter would most likely have been just as dead. But he may have taken a few more police with him in the end.

I don't see them ever using this kind of force in a hostage situation. Far too risky. In the end, we may be closer to Robocop than we know. "Dead or alive, you're coming with me".