An hourslong SWAT standoff near a Johns Creek elementary school ended with the suspect found dead in a house, authorities said Tuesday.
Officers were sent to the area of Abbotts Bridge Road and Surrey Park Trail shortly after 1 p.m. after reports of gunfire. A man refused to come out of a house near Abbotts Hill Elementary, which led to the school being placed on a soft lockdown.
At around 5:30 p.m., the SWAT team entered the home and found the man dead with a “self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Johns Creek police spokesman Sgt. Tyler Seymour said. Authorities are not releasing the man’s name or age at this time.
No one else was injured during the five-hour ordeal, according to police.
During the standoff, Abbotts Bridge Road was closed between Parsons and Medlock roads.
The mother of the suspected shooter had called 911 from outside the home after officers were already in the area responding to the shooting call, Seymour said. When officers arrived, more gunfire was heard coming from inside, he added.
Seymour said officers did not exchange gunfire with the man. He could not confirm if any gunfire was directed at police.
Officers were quickly able to contain the shooter within the home, where he remained alone for several hours as the SWAT team surrounded the area, Seymour said.
“Due to the close proximity to Abbotts Hill Elementary School, we went ahead and notified the school administration as well as their school resource officers and secured the school,” Seymour said.
Johns Creek police worked alongside Fulton County Schools to release students safely after the school was placed on lockdown.
“Due to an incident in a neighborhood close to Abbotts Hill Elementary School, we have placed the school on soft lockdown. Police have confirmed the school is not in imminent danger. As always, safety is the primary concern. The Johns Creek Police Department has created a command post on our campus and coordinating with Fulton County Police,” Fulton County Schools told the AJC earlier Tuesday afternoon.
“We are truly thankful no citizens or any of our Officers were hurt during this situation,” Johns Creek Police Chief Mark Mitchell said in a news release. “I want to thank the administration of Abbotts Hill, FC School Police, SSPD, DPD, and BPD for all of their assistance today to help bring this incident to a safe resolution”
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