Wanted man arrested after swatting call sparks Conyers standoff
Conyers police have arrested a wanted suspect following a standoff that began with a 911 swatting call reporting a false shooting. (Credit: Conyers Police Department)
CONYERS, Ga. - Conyers police have arrested a wanted suspect following a standoff that began with a 911 swatting call reporting a false shooting.
What we know:
According to police, it all started around 1 p.m. when someone called 911 reporting a shooting at an unknown location. Officers were able to trace the call to a home in the 1000 block of Park Circle.
As officers continued their investigation using previous call history and past law enforcement contact, they determined that 35-year-old Reginald Pittman, who had outstanding warrants, may be inside the home.
The Conyers Police Department initially reported a large officer presence in the neighborhood and advised local drivers to seek alternate routes while law enforcement worked to resolve the situation. Authorities also instructed nearby residents to exercise caution and follow all directions from responding officers.
Police later upgraded the advisory to a barricaded subject situation before taking Pittman into custody without further incident.
The Conyers Police Department said despite the initial call, they found there was no evidence of a shooting and determined the initial call was a swatting call.
Pittman is being held at the Rockdale County Jail on charges of swatting, misuse of 911, and sodomy, as well as charges stemming from his outstanding warrants.
What we don't know:
Police did not release Pittman's motive for the call.
Authorities did not disclose if Pittman was alone or if other residents were inside the home during the standoff.
The Source: The information in this article was gathered from a release by the Conyers Police Department.