DeKalb police foil hostage kidnapping
by Brian Egeston
be@brianwrites.com
A DeKalb County woman was at her mother’s home when Michael Harris, 38, entered the residence and kidnapped the woman at gunpoint, according to DeKalb Police spokesman Officer Marcus Hodge.
At approximately 2:19 a.m. last Wednesday, Harris entered the Concept 21 apartments near Snapfinger Woods Drive in Decatur, police said. The suspect’s mother then phoned 911 to tell authorities Harris had abducted her daughter.
DeKalb police responded and began looking for Harris’ Chevrolet Malibu. Hours later, approximately 10 miles away, a resident called police when a woman was seen taken into a house at gunpoint. Hodges said the resident heard a woman screaming inside the house.
At around 4:45 a.m., DeKalb police, including the DeKalb SWAT team, arrived at the residence near Second Avenue and Tilson Road in East Lake. After remaining in the house for several hours, the victim was able to escape around noon. She was running for her life.
“He ran after her and was firing his gun at her,” said Hodges. “SWAT members were in the containment area. They gave him several verbal commands to drop his weapon. He refused. That’s when one of the SWAT team members shot him.”
Harris was transported to a local hospital and underwent surgery Wednesday. An update on his condition was not available.
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