19-year-old arrested at Walmart after SWAT situation in nearby DeKalb neighborhood

There was a SWAT situation in DeKalb County on Thursday afternoon.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

There was a SWAT situation in DeKalb County on Thursday afternoon.

A six-hour SWAT standoff came to an end in DeKalb County after the suspect, who is accused of breaking into a neighbor’s home, was found and arrested at a nearby Walmart, authorities said.

About 2 p.m., a homeowner walking into his house off Ridgetop Trail in Ellenwood to discover a burglary in progress, DeKalb police Sgt. J.D. Spencer said. The homeowner, Saladine Rahman, recognized the alleged burglar as his neighbor, 19-year-old Julian Lewis.

“I don’t understand (why) you would do something like that to your neighbor,” Rahman told Channel 2 Action News.

The suspect fired two gunshots at Rahman before running away, Spencer said. Neither bullet hit the homeowner, and no one was injured during the incident.

Lewis was allegedly seen running into his house off the same road and locking the door. When police arrived, a SWAT team set up a perimeter around Lewis’ house, since he wouldn’t come out.

After about six hours, the SWAT team entered the house to find out Lewis was not inside, Spencer said. Police eventually got Lewis on the phone, and they quickly found him at the Walmart off Panola Road.

He was arrested there without incident, Spencer said. Lewis faces charges of burglary and aggravated assault.

No other information has been released.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

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