UPDATED WITH INITIAL RADIO TRAFFIC: Hostage situation ended. Hostage taker dead. Police officer with hand wound. Firefighter hostages superficial wounds from flash bang.
Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5
Click here to follow STATter911.com on Facebook (hit “like”)
More live coverage from WXIA-TV (Still has live feed from scene)
WSB-TV live
LATEST 7:46 PM: Suspect dead. Four firefighters & police officer minor injuries. Superficial wounds to firefighters from flash-bang. Officer shot in hand or arm. Police moved in because they thought firefighters were in danger.
Police say firefighters will be back home with their families tonight. Below is the initial radio traffic from Engine 10 who says gunman wants his utilities turned back on. Audio from firefighterdispatch.
EARLIER:
Loud explosion heard at scene around 7:35 PM. Reporters say it sounded like flash-bang, followed by possible gun shot. Roadway cleared and ambulance left scene at 7:40 PM. Second ambulance left scene at 7:43 PM/
A gunman is holding four firefighters hostage in Gwinnett County, authorities say.
A SWAT team was on the scene at 2440 Walnut Grove Way in Suwanee, according to the Gwinnett County Police Department.
Police say that the firefighters were apparently responding to the home on a medical call.
“They arrived at the scene. They went in and began to do what they do every day when they were taken hostage,” said Captain Tommy Rutledge of the Gwinnett County Fire Department.
There were originally five hostages, but one firefighter was let go to move the fire truck, according to Rutledge.
The accused gunman originally took five firefighters hostage however he let one leave to take the responding fire engine back to the station.
According to Captain Rutledge of the Gwinnett County Fire Department, authorities believed they were responding to a medical call. The firefighters are now being held in the house on Walnut Grove Way in Suwanee.
Neighbor Jaime Gossan said that she and her husband live three doors down from the home where the firefighters are being held. She said her husband saw the firefighters enter the home, and later saw SWAT officers — some 30 or more — surround the house. She said that her husband, who is still in the house, also saw a robot go up to the house.
Gwinnett County police have a robot equipped with microphone and speaker through which they can talk to barricaded suspects.
A Comcast cable truck was allowed into the subdivision at about 6:15 p.m., possibly to cut the cable to the house. Authorities said earlier they were concerned about what the man may be seeing or hearing on the news.
Fire officials told Kavanaugh the man faked a heart attack to get them to the home. It is unclear what motivated the gunman to hold the firefighters hostage.
The firefighters involved are cross-trained as emergency medical technicians, Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge told Kavanaugh.
“This was a typical emergency response; No indication that anything would go wrong and firefighters went in with their multiple equipment to perform patient care ans meet the need of the person who is inside,” he said.
The chief said he has not been given any indication that the firefighters have been harmed. He said police have been in communication with the gunman.
Do you want to sell a rig? Click HERE to find out how with SellFireTrucks.com.
