A man was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon after he barricaded himself inside a Hall County home, police said.
Officers responded to the 200 block of Mountainview Drive and began attempting to “de-escalate with a mentally unstable individual,” Gainesville police said. At some point, the man barricaded himself inside and began firing multiple shots with a rifle, according to police.
A woman was safely evacuated from the home. Police did not say if anyone was injured or what led to the incident.
Authorities said they were eventually able to resolve the conflict and take the man into custody. He was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for evaluation. Police did not say if the man has been charged.
“This event highlights the dangers of mental health and the crisis we deal with each and every day. Our in-house departmental mental health clinicians play a vital role in protecting our public behind the scenes,” Gainesville police wrote in a post.
Matthew Boedy, who lives just a few houses away, was startled when he got a text from his wife about police being outside their home. He quickly woke up his 2-year-old, went into the front yard and tried to get information.
With police, negotiators and SWAT at the scene, Boedy said the road was completely shut down. The presence was reassuring that he and his neighbors were safe as authorities handled the situation.
“Once the police were on scene, I didn’t have any fear,” he said. “It became very clear that they were going to move in if he didn’t come out. So I think they convinced him that they were there to help him.”
Boedy said this isn’t the first time police have been called to the home. Since moving to the neighborhood in February 2020, he said he has seen authorities there at least five times. But today, he said a larger police presence swarmed the neighborhood.
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Credit: AP
