Small Town News

Police Standoff Ends Peacefully

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"He (Wolf) said he kind of freaked out when the police arrived."

The Hogansville Police Department and area law enforcement agencies brought to a peaceful end a tense standoff with an armed man last week.

The situation began about 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, Apr. 7, when the Hogansville Police Department received a call from a woman reporting that her boyfriend was firing a handgun inside the house.

The call resulted in Sgt. Jeff Shephard, Sgt. Kevin Yarbrough, and officers Devon Patillo and Bruce Jordan responding to the call.

Yarbrough reports that information from the woman indicated the suspect, identified as Joshua Wolf, had been drinking the previous night.

"She reported the boyfriend was intoxicated, that he had been drinking all night," reported Shepherd.

After the officers arrived, the woman reported having the gun and tossed it out of the house. The weapon was a nine millimeter automatic handgun.

With the assistance of the officers, the woman was removed from the house.

The officers then learned that Wolf still had a shotgun in the house. After the situation concluded, a third firearm was found in the house.

Hogansville police officers attempted to talk Wolf into surrendering, but he refused to leave the house, located at 141 Lincoln Street.

WITH Hogansville police officers not extensively trained in dealing with this type of situation, help was summoned from Troup County Sheriff's Office and the LaGrange Police Department.

Families living near the situation, which was located just down the street from the Hogansville police station, were evacuated and a perimeter was established around the house.

Conversations were held with the girlfriend and Wolf's parents, but no information was developed that would draw Wolf from his home.

"He just refused to come out," Shepherd said.

A trained negotiator from the LaGrange Police Department arrived on the scene along with a special team and shortly before noon a dedicated telephone line was strung to the house allowing the negotiator to talk with Wolf.

A second negotiator became involved and utility services to the house were disconnected.

Shepherd reported that after hours of negotiation, Wolf finally agreed to leave the house. Then he reportedly delayed again and refused to leave.

At 2:40 p.m., about six hours after the situation began, officers fired CS gas into the house. CS gas is very similar to tear gas.

Wolf left the house moments after the CS gas had been released inside and was taken into custody without further incident. He was treated at the scene for exposure to the gas.

ONCE INSIDE the house, officers found a 410 single-shot shotgun and a 357 Magnum revolver.

"I have no idea," Shepherd said when asked why Wolf became involved in the standoff with police. "He (Wolf) said he kind of freaked out when the police arrived."

Shepherd reported Wolf had been drinking, but a blood alcohol test was not administered.

Wolf, 24, was charged with obstruction of officers, reckless conduct and discharging a firearm in the city limits.

The Troup County Fire Department and medics with American Medical Response stood by the scene and the Meriwether County Sheriff's Office had deputies in Hogansville to provide assistance.

Sgt. Jeff Shepherd Hogansville Police Department



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© 2010 The Hogansville Home News Hogansville, Georgia. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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