GA Gunman Dead After Holding Firefighters Hostage

Five Georgia firefighters taken hostage by a gunman inside a Suwanee home are going to be alright after an intense end to a Wednesday evening standoff.  They were responding to a 9-1-1 call of a medical emergency when they were taken by the homeowner, who later released one to move their firetruck from in front of the house.

Gwinnett County Police Cpl. E.J. Ritter provided updates after SWAT teams entered the home:

Something changed in the negotiations that made them believe that the firefighters were in jeopardy, so that’s why they did the flash-bang, the explosion.  They entered the house, there was gunfire exchanged.

They’re not saying right now that they’re the ones that shot the suspect, but they are saying that he died of a gunshot wound.  And they have one officer injured, taken to the hospital.  And the four firefighters have superficial injuries.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Cpl. Ritter says the firefighters’ injuries were caused by the explosives used by the SWAT team during entry into the house and are not gunshot wounds.