CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A man is now in custody after SWAT teams swarmed a Cherokee County neighborhood to negotiate with him after he barricaded inside of a burning home.
On Thursday, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called out to a wellness check at approximately 3:20 p.m. to a home in the Owl Creek Landing subdivision off Kellogg Creek Road near Acworth.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
A man called and reported that he was concerned about his son who was inside the home. He noticed the windows in the front of the home had been shot out with a gun from the inside.
When deputies arrived to the scene, the father told deputies his son did have a rifle inside the home. Deputies couldn’t contact him inside, so they called for the SWAT and Hostage Negotiation Team.
After searching the home, they spotted the man inside.
While staged outside the home, hostage negotiators and deputies noticed the man had pointed the rifle at them and also fired rounds inside the home.
NewsChopper 2 was over the scene Thursday evening, where there were dozens of law enforcement vehicles including armored cars.
At one point, several heavily armed officers ran and took cover behind the vehicles. Several officers had their guns trained toward the home.
Deputies said “less lethal gas munitions” were thrown inside the home, and at one point, deputies believe the suspect covered a gas canister with some type of bedding and it caught on fire.
That’s when the fire quickly spread through the home.
SWAT members then entered the home and removed the 36-year-old man from the burning house.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Drone repair shop owner arrested, accused of helping gangs smuggle contraband into jails
- Students, staff fill up hallways to wish beloved Ga. school’s janitor a happy 85th birthday
- Man with no pants on sexually assaults women at metro Atlanta Kroger, police say
Firefighters were on scene earlier working to put out the flames.
At this time, deputies say his name is not being released.
Deputies said the suspect had minor injuries and was taken to Northside Cherokee.
Two SWAT members also sustained minor injuries during the incident.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN OTHER NEWS:
PHOTOS: SWAT teams swarm Cherokee neighborhood after suspect barricades himself inside burning home
0 of 25
©2023 Cox Media Group
