A man zip-tied two Family Dollar employees, held another at gunpoint and repeatedly fired at officers before he surrendered using the manager as his shield, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office said.
Terry Dean, a 45-year-old convicted felon who is on federal probation, entered the rear of Family Dollar in the 600 block of Ga. 138 Thursday night, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
He held the manager at gunpoint and zip-tied two other employees, officials said. The employees managed to escape and called 911.
When authorities with the county police department and the sheriff’s office got to the scene, the manager was still being held inside the store at gunpoint.
“During the standoff,” officials said, “Dean discharged his 9mm firearm four times, shooting out a front window of the store. It is believed he was shooting at officers on scene.”
An elite SWAT team was called to the scene, and Dean agreed to come out unarmed, the sheriff’s office said.
Dean, who feared authorities would shoot him, came out with the manager as his shield, authorities said.
He was arrested on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, false imprisonment and aggravated assault on police officers and booked in the county jail. The sheriff’s office said Dean matches the description of the person they have been seeking in connection with several other armed robberies in the area.
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