HALL COUNTY, Ga. — A man was shot and killed following an hours-long SWAT standoff in Hall County early Saturday morning, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputies said they responded to a home along Samoa Way just before 6:45 a.m. after the man's wife called 911 to report she had been assaulted at the house. The initial investigation revealed the suspect threw his wife down a flight of stairs, which caused injuries.
The man held her hostage inside the home for a short time before allowing her to leave the house, where she ran next door to safety, according to deputies. The suspect stayed in the home armed with a handgun, deputies said.
After more than two hours at the home, Hall County Sheriff's Office called SWAT to the scene. SWAT officers set up a perimeter around the home, but deputies said the suspect became "increasingly agitated" throughout the negotiations.
Deputies said the man eventually walked out of the house naked, wielding his pistol. The suspect then allegedly fired multiple shots into the woodline before pointing his gun directly at SWAT officers, where they shot and killed the suspect just before noon, according to the sheriff's office.
“I always regret when these types of incidents happen, but our deputies did the difficult job they are called to do when there is a deadly threat,” said Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch. “I am thankful no one in the neighborhood was injured, and I’m thankful that our deputies went home safe today.”
The two deputies who fired their weapons will be placed on administrative leave, per Hall County Sheriff's Office protocol.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the shooting.