Shawn Wainwright said his neighbor had been harassing him and other housemates for weeks before things escalated Wednesday and a SWAT team was called in.
The hourslong standoff, which blocked roads outside a middle school in the Sylvan Hills neighborhood of southwest Atlanta, ended with the man in handcuffs. While his name was not released, Atlanta police said they are seeking warrants against him after he allegedly threatened his neighbors with a gun.
Wainwright said he called police to his rooming house in the 1000 block of Katherwood Drive after his former roommate waved a rifle and then fired multiple shots, causing Wainwright and his 19-year-old son to fear for their lives.
Police blocked off the area around Katherwood Drive and Langston Avenue after the man barricaded himself inside the house. The situation did not cause any disruption to nearby Sylvan Hills Middle School, school officials said.
The standoff ended around 9:30 a.m. when a man was led out of the house and placed into the back of a patrol car. Police said they are conducting interviews to obtain additional warrants.
Wainwright told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the suspect, who now lives in his own unit in the same house, had been harassing him, his son and the home’s other two residents for weeks for no apparent reason. He said things escalated three days ago and a police report was filed after the man began threatening Wainwright’s son, who has autism and other disorders.
The argument came to a head Wednesday.
“He made his point very clear,” Wainwright said. “Not only did he have his gun sitting there for a long period of time, he then walked over to me and my child, made a threat and went back to his side of the porch and picked up his assault rifle and pointed it at us and put it back down.”
Wainwright said he then removed himself and his son from the area, and a few minutes later he heard gunshots. That’s when he called police.
“He was ringing the doorbell, banging on the door, trying to get in — in between the first couple of shots — and then he started shooting again,” Wainwright said.
Steven Parris, another neighbor who lives in a separate house, told the AJC that he was asleep when the shots are alleged to have been fired and hadn’t noticed any commotion coming from the home.
“I was a little bit concerned, a little bit scared,” he said. “But I’m glad everything got taken care of. Everyone seems to still be safe and so glad that it didn’t escalate further than it needed to.”
Police did not provide any details on what led to the standoff but confirmed no injuries were reported. Wainwright said two other neighbors made it out of the rooming house safely.
Even after the man was detained, Wainwright said he still doesn’t feel safe and is planning to move.
“My son is not only upset, he’s just — he was scared. He’s crying,” he said. “I’m afraid for my life, and I’m afraid for my child’s life.”
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