A Toccoa man faces an aggravated assault charge after a barricaded standoff ended peacefully in Stephens County early Friday morning.
Deputies respond to Sweetgum Road
According to the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived at a home on Sweetgum Road around 9 p.m. Thursday after a 911 caller reported a domestic fight where shots were fired. Deputies identified the suspect as 41-year-old Christopher Dean. Law enforcement moved two women at the scene to safety while Dean locked himself inside the home with a gun.
Negotiators reach peaceful resolution
The standoff lasted several hours, involving the Georgia State Patrol and a Special Response Team. At 12:43 a.m. Friday, a negotiator reached Dean by phone. Dean agreed to give up two handguns in exchange for food and drinks. By 2:28 a.m., Dean walked out and surrendered to officers. He was taken to the Stephens County Jail.
Details on domestic dispute pending
While deputies confirmed shots were fired during the initial call, the sheriff’s office has not released what led to the domestic dispute or the specific relationship between Dean and the two women escorted from the home.
Local leaders praise patience
Sheriff Rusty Fulbright thanked the Georgia State Patrol and the Crisis Intervention Team for their help. “Success in a situation like this isn’t measured by force, but by the lives preserved through patience,” Fulbright said. “Our goal is always a peaceful resolution by bringing a volatile situation to a calm end.”
