ATHENS COUNTY – Last Night Sheriff reported of a hostage situation with a man and a gun located at State Route 124 in Athens County.
According to a press release from the Sheriff around 7:30 pm on January 29,2020 Sheriff received calls of a domestic dispute between husband and wife in Hockingport Ohio. Deputies met with the female half on State Route 124 and accompanied her to the location of the male half on Jetstar drive in Hockingport.
When Sheriff Deputies along with female half entered the residence to retrieve her property the male half pointed a firearm towards all individuals including officers when inside. Sheriff deputies were able to remove the female and themselves from the residence.
A special response team was called out to the scene at approximately 9 pm and negotation specialists attempted to negotiate with the suspect in hopes he would come peacefully. After multiple hours the suspect became increasingly agitated, firing numerous gunshots in the direction of law enforcement and surrounding homes. Gas was deployed into the home to hopefully force the man to come out of the residence. Deputies were forced to return gunfire after suspect fired multiple times at officers around midnight. The suspect suffered a fatal gunshot wound and was declared deceased.
No names have been released at this time we will update when they are.
