SWAT standoff with armed man on Greyhound bus that caused I-85 shut down in Gwinnett ends peacefully
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Traffic is moving once again on I-85 in Gwinnett County following an hours long standoff between SWAT Teams and an armed man aboard a bus that resulted in all lanes being shut down.
The incident started around 9:30 a.m. when a Greyhound bus heading from Atlanta to New York stopped along I-85 northbound due to an armed man onboard who became erratic, Gwinnett County Police said. The driver and all passengers managed to get off the bus unharmed. The bus was eventually moved and stopped on the I-85 northbound ramp to Indian Trail, which is where SWAT Teams surrounded the bus.
According to Gwinnett County Police, the armed man suffered a mental episode while onboard. They say they managed to take the man into custody around 2 p.m. without injury.
Officials have not identified the individual. The standoff caused major delays in traffic on I-85 in both directions for hours. Traffic cameras in the area showed all lanes backed up for miles, leaving motorists stranded with nowhere to go for several hours. All lanes have since reopened.
How to avoid the I-85 shutdown from the standoff
With the amount of traffic at a standstill on I-85, the delays have continued onto the back roads and side streets.
For drivers going south, you should take Beaver Ruin Road all the way to Buford Highway and then hop on I-285.
Northbound drivers should try to get off on Jimmy Carter Boulevard west to Buford Highway and pick up I-85 at Gwinnett Place.