Brunswick police officer takes 3 hostages in standoff

First Coast News

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A Brunswick police officer who took three hostages in a vacant office inside an apartment leasing center Wednesday afternoon had been placed on administrative leave before the incident, authorities said Thursday.

Two shots were fired during the hostage situation, but no one was injured before the BPD officer surrendered to police.

After speaking with 43-year-old officer Darry Williams, police warned employees at city hall to get to public places in case Williams tried to confront them, Interim Police Chief Jimmy Carter said.  

BPD Captain Kevin Jones said Williams, a 17-year veteran on the force, entered Brunswick City Hall during the afternoon Wednesday and made a statement that he had a weapon and told people inside City Hall they had “10 minutes to call SWAT.”

Brunswick Mayor Cornell Harvey described the suspect as a family man and said he hopes he gets the help he needs.

“Something just went wrong. Good people do bad things,” Harvey said.

Brunswick City Hall was then locked down and Williams left about 2 p.m.

Police say Williams then went to a vacant office at the Norwich Street Commons Apartments about a mile away and took three hostages — two females and one male — none of which were known to Williams.

Shantell Parker says she was one of the hostages held at gun point.

“I was headed to the gym to work out and when I turned the corner there was an armed individual standing there and told me to get naked at gun point or he would kill me,” Parker said.

Parker said once Williams took her hostage the second female and the man walked by and Williams claimed them as hostages.

“Am I going to see my kid again? I don’t know whats next, I don’t know if I’m going to be raped, I don’t know if he’s going to kill me,” said Parker recalled thinking at the time.

At some point during the hostage situation, police and Parker say Williams called his bishop and spoke for some time.

Police responded to the complex and after half an hour Williams let the hostages go one by one.

“Literally I could have died,” Parker said.

No injuries to the hostages were reported and Williams was taken into custody without incident.

Williams faces charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, and possibly more, according to interim Chief Jimmy Carter.

BPD says they are still investigating the motive behind the alleged crimes.

Captain Kevin Jones said he has known Officer Williams for over 20 years and he has never had disciplinary problems.

Williams has been placed on administrative leave and taken to jail. He was charged with three counts of false imprisonment.

Williams is set to be arraigned at the Glynn County Courthouse at 9 a.m. Friday.