(Daily Mail)  The gunman who held hostage 21-year-old Hofstra University student, Andrea Rebello, who later died in the police gun battle has been identified by police as Dalton Smith – a known criminal who was wanted for absconding parole for robbery.

Police revealed the identity of Smith, 30, of Hempstead, today and revealed a warrant was put out for his arrest on April 25.

He had been found guilty of robbery in the 1st degree and had an extensive criminal background going back to 1999 with multiple convictions for theft and assault.

He also spent time in prison and was convicted again for handling contraband goods while behind bars.

He was shot by police on Friday after what appears to be an attempted robbery on Rebello, her twin and their friends. Reports say the man shot Andrea Rebello as she pleaded for her life.

The 30-year-old followed the sisters, Jessica and Andrea, Jessica’s boyfriend John Kourtessiss and another student called Shannon Thomas back to the girls’ California Avenue sorority house from the popular student bar, McHebes, according to the New York Post.

The gunman reportedly targeted the students after seeing them spending large amounts of money in the drinking spot to celebrate the end of the school term.

Around 2.20am he allegedly peered through the window in his ski mask and knocked on the door before forcing himself in and taking the group hostage.

Raiding the home he shouted: ‘I saw you at the bar drinking. I know you have more money than this!’, according to police sources quoted in the Post report.

He made the twins remain but told Thomas to leave and withdraw money from an ATM machine – warning her he would shoot her friends if she tried anything.

While away from the home she called 911.

As police arrived neighbors said they heard blood-curdling screams and what sounded like a woman pleading for her life.

Victoria Dehel, who lives four doors down told the New York Times that she heard shouting.

At first is sounded like ‘a bunch of drunk college students,’ she told the Times.

‘And then the screaming just got worse and worse and worse. And then we heard thuds, like five bangs,’ she said.

Dehel said she and her boyfriend stepped onto their porch and they could hear what sounded like a woman pleading for her life, just as police cars raced down the street.

‘I turned to my boyfriend and I said, ‘I think someone just got murdered’. It was awful,’ she said.

‘[Police] drew their weapons and went inside,’ neighbor Frank Pugliese, 19 told the Post.

“She was pleading for her life. You could tell she was scared. It was a surreal moment . . . She was pleading — her voice was trembling and she yelled, ‘No, no!’ ” (read more)