Attempted robbery at Waffle House leads to SWAT standoff at motel

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Police say a man who attempted to rob a Waffle House, leading to a SWAT standoff at a nearby motel, is in custody.

Police tell Channel 2 Action News the man rented a room at the Knights Inn in Lawrenceville before robbing the Waffle House across the street around 3 a.m. Monday. He then barricaded himself inside the bathroom of his rented room for over four hours.

Channel 2's Audrey Washington learned the robbery suspect was arrested just before 8 a.m. in the bathroom of the motel. He was unharmed. Police said the man was just wearing his underwear.

"We were able to gain access to the room by using gas to get him to leave the room, but he was in the bathroom,” DeKalb police officer Shiera Campbell said.

Two other people were detained for questioning, but police determined they were not involved in ther robbery.

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The motel was evacuated around 3 a.m. and families were escorted from their . Some did not have the chance to grab their belongings before rushing out the door and across the street.

Washington spoke to hotel guests at the scene, who were wrapped in blankets as they waited for police to make contact with the suspect.

“My kids are out here with towels and stuff on,” motel guest Sherica Williams said. “I'm just in shock right now.”

“We were all laid up sleeping and all we saw were guns and tactical vests and telling us we had to get out of the room…everyone had to evacuate the hotel," guest Desmond Fergusson told Washington.

None of the hotel guests were hurt and they were allowed back into their rooms after the scene cleared.

Cox Media Group