UPDATE: 2:30 p.m.
A man is in custody following a standoff in Columbus.
According to WCBI, 50-year-old Dan Waldrop was arrested. Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said that his officers, as well as Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department responded to the shopping center immediately.
Waldrop was holding several people inside of the Fitness Factor after an alleged altercation with workers there, according to WCBI’s report.
Law enforcement negotiators and SWAT were in the parking lot and next door to the gym.
They cleared the Town Square Shopping Center of civilians so they would be safe.
According to police, the people inside Fitness Factor were all unharmed and released by Waldrop. Police continued to negotiate with Waldrop, eventually forcing his surrender.
His charges are pending.
Thankfully, nobody was injured.
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1:00 p.m.
Columbus Police Department alerted their community through their Facebook page that there is some kind of incident going on in a shopping center near Dirt Cheap.
“There is an ongoing police activity underway at the Towne Square shopping center off 18th Avenue and 5th Street N.,” the post reads. “TAKE ALTERNATE ROUTES SINCE SOME ROADS ARE CLOSED.”
Police advise citizens to avoid the area until further notice.
