Suspected Shooter Arrested After Gwinnett SWAT Standoff

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Gwinnett County man believed to have fired shots as sheriff's deputies were serving him eviction papers Wednesday is under arrest.

A large portion of the neighborhood around Saratoga Drive in Lawrenceville was blocked off for hours, as negotiators attempted to communicate with the man. But, around 7 p.m., the man put down his weapon and walked outside his home, surrendering to police.

Police had not identified the suspect as of late Wednesday.

Shortly before 2 p.m., deputies assigned to the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office approached the home. A woman met them in the driveway and told them the man who was to be served with papers was inside.

Deputies entered the foyer of the home and began talking with the man, who was at the top of a set of stars. But he soon retreated into a bedroom, police say. Shortly thereafter, deputies heard roughly four gunshots being fired.

No deputies were harmed and the woman fled to a neighbor's home. That's when the Gwinnett County Police Department's SWAT team and negotiators were dispatched to the scene.

"We’d like to thank the members of the neighborhood for their patience as we handled this complex and dangerous call," said Gwinnett County Police spokeswoman Cpl. Michele Pihera.

File photo courtesy Gwinnett County Police Department