New photo shows moment before arrest of Atlanta-area shooting suspect
CRISP COUNTY, Ga. - The Crisp County sheriff said it took a collaborative effort to capture and arrest the Atlanta-area spa shootings suspect Robert Long.
Law enforcement officers took Long into custody in south Georgia after being on the run for almost four hours after he shot and killed eight people at three separate spas.
"He can comply and come out of the car obeying the commands, he can take his own life, or he can start a shootout with us. Those are the three things that could happen," Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock said.
A newly released photo shows the moment spa shooting suspect Robert Long was surrounded by law enforcement officers with guns drawn in Crisp County.
"I went home and it had not crossed my mind that the young man might have been traveling south on the interstate and wind up here in Crisp County," Hancock said.
The sheriff said the arrest was thanks to a joint effort from different agencies including the Georgia State Patrol.
"I got a call about eight o’clock from Sheriff Reynolds in Cherokee County who was with the family. They were able to look at his phone and see where he was at," Hancock recalled.
"I just think the biggest thing that got the suspect into custody so quick is the networking and communication these agencies brought together. It’s so good when that happens," Trooper Travis Pollock said.
Georgia State Patrol Trooper Travis Pollock was the one who performed a PIT maneuver of Long’s car which caused him to spin out of control.
"We all drew our service weapons and I began giving verbal commands while he sat in his vehicle to show his hands. It took him about 30 to 40 seconds to respond and show his hands," Georgia State Patrol Corporal Allen Parker said.
Authorities said Long remained quiet and didn’t say anything while he was arrested and was taken into custody without incident.
These longtime lawmen are grateful no one was hurt.
"It doesn’t matter the color of the uniform but when they put the badge on they go to do a service for the community they live in and serve," Hancock said.
Long is behind bars facing eight counts of murder in both Cherokee County and the city of Atlanta.
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