BRUNSWICK, Ga. – A police officer who was disciplined Wednesday barricaded himself in an empty office at an apartment complex with three hostages, according to Brunswick police. The situation ended peacefully.
"I met with the officer earlier today, and we did discuss some personnel issues. He was not happy with that. And I'd given him some directions on what he needed to do," said Capt. Kevin Jones of the Brunswick Police Department.
Police said Officer Darry Williams went to City Hall to complain about the discipline to the mayor and told people he had a gun and they had 10 minutes to call a SWAT team. The mayor's office was put on lockdown, but Williams had left the building.
Police said Williams, a community service officer, then went to the Norwich Commons Apartments at 3400 Norwich Street, barricaded himself and took three hostages at gunpoint -- two women and a man. Police said two shots were fired, though it's unclear by whom, and no one was injured.
After about half an hour, Williams released the hostages, sending the women out first. He then sent the male hostage out with the handgun, instructing him how to put the gun down, so he would not be harmed by other officers on scene. He also had the man take off his shirt, so officers would know he was not armed, according to Brunswick police.
Williams was subdued and taken to a hospital for medical attention.
"These situations are very touchy, but it was resolved without anybody being seriously injured, including the hostage taker," said interim Brunswick Chief Jimmy C. Carter. "Nobody was seriously injured and an arrest has been made."
A woman who said she was one of the hostages told News4Jax she was walking to the gym when she turned the corner and a man said, "Put your hands in the air."
Police said it does not appear that Williams knew the hostages, who are residents at the complex. Williams does not live at the complex.
Carter said charges are pending but will include kidnapping, false imprisonment and aggravated assault.
"I've known him for 20 years. He was an employee here at BPD before, and he recently came back, and he's been with us about a year," Jones said.
Jones said Williams has never had any disciplinary problems and Wednesday's incident was totally out of character for him.
During July 2000, Williams fired his weapon at a suspect during a melee.
"I was in internal affairs at the time, and I investigated that complaint, and he was, the officer was not in the wrong," Jones said. "He acted appropriately at that time, because the suspect did have a weapon."
Brunswick police have called in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into the Wednesday's incident to avoid any conflict of interest.