The suspect in a SWAT standoff that shutdown a road in Buford Tuesday afternoon apparently suffers from schizophrenia, according to Gwinnett County Police.
Officers were first called to the scene on Tuggle Road Monday, when the suspect, Stephen Morgan, allegedly threatened his family with a knife, though the family members were not "close enough to be threatened directly," said Sgt. Jake Smith, public information officer.
The family left the residence, as did officers — at least until arrest warrants could be obtained.
On Tuesday, with warrants in hand, police got a tip that Morgan was at his home on Tuggle Road, and when officers responded, they confirmed that all family members were out of the house.
"Morgan was acting erratically and would not come out. Family members advised that Morgan still had the knife and that there was a firearm inside the residence," said Smith in a statement.
The SWAT team responded around 10 a.m.
"Negotiators had intermittent contact with Morgan, during which it became apparent that Morgan was suffering from a mental health problem. Negotiations were unsuccessful for several hours. At about 3 p.m. SWAT officers fired gas rounds into the house. Morgan began speaking with negotiators at that point, and said he wished to surrender," said Smith.
Morgan was taken into custody around 3:30 p.m. without any further incident.
He was booked into the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office Detention Center on charges of simple assault, terroristic threats and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
