Gunman arrested after hourslong SWAT standoff at east Cobb home

Police arrested a gunman who barricaded himself inside an east Cobb County home after firing multiple rounds Tuesday morning.

Donald Welborn, 57, of Marietta, faces nearly a dozen charges in connection with the incident, Cobb police said in a news release. He was arrested at the home in the 7200 block of Kingsley Drive, ending a SWAT situation that lasted more than six hours.

Cobb police were sent to the neighborhood about 5:30 a.m. after a 911 caller reported gunshots in the area, department spokesman Sgt. Wayne Delk told reporters at the scene. When officers arrived, they said they found Welborn firing a weapon.

Police did not specify what kind of gun was used or how many rounds were fired, but neighbors near the Kingsley Drive home reported hearing between 20 and 30 shots.

“Several shots were fired both inside and outside the home,” Delk said.

Investigators said he may have hit some homes, and police believe he fired shots in their direction.

Police placed the Newcastle subdivision on lockdown while negotiators worked to resolve the situation, Delk said. Neighbors were told to stay inside during the incident.

Welborn was taken into custody shortly after noon. He was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on eight felony counts of aggravated assault on an officer and three counts of reckless conduct, according to jail records.

No injuries were reported.

Police and fire crews remained on the scene Tuesday afternoon, Channel 2 reported. A bomb squad finally left the area about 5 p.m. after finding no explosives.

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM