Georgia Man Is Killed, After Holding 5 Firefighters Hostage

A SWAT team moved into a Suwanee, Ga. home, killing a suspect who was had been holding a group of firefighters hostage on Wednesday.

Cpl. Edwin Ritter, spokesman for the Gwinnett County Police Department, said during a televised press conference that one officer appeared to have been shot in the hand and the four firefighters had superficial wounds caused by an explosion set off by the SWAT team.

"All of them will be going home today," Ritter said.

WSBTV reports:

"Fire officials [said] the man faked a heart attack to get them to the home. ...

"The firefighters involved are cross-trained as emergency medical technicians, Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge [said].

"'This was a typical emergency response, no indication that anything would go wrong, and firefighters went in with their multiple equipment to perform patient care and meet the need of the person who is inside,' he said."

When firefighters arrived at the scene in suburban Atlanta, the suspect took five of them hostage. Earlier today, he let one of the firefighters go.

Ritter said the suspect started making demands, asking police to turn his electricity, cell phone and cable back on. "Apparently, he was having some financial issues," Ritter said.

The SWAT team, said Ritter, decided to move into the home because they felt the the firefighters were in mortal danger.

WSBTV adds that the man's home had been foreclosed.

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