Brother discusses Michael Hill's history of mental illness

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The brother of the McNair Elementary School shooting suspect told ABC News exclusively about his brother's history of mental illness and troubled past.

Twenty-year-old Michael Brandon Hill was arrested on charges that he fired shots at police officers at the DeKalb County elementary school on Tuesday.

Tuesday night, his brother, Timothy Hill, said he cannot understand his brother's actions.

"I couldn't tell you what his mindset was when he went up there. I honestly can tell you he's got a long history of medical disorders, including bi-polar," Timothy Hill said.

Henry County records show Michael Hill was arrested earlier this year on charges of terroristic threats and acts. He was sentenced to probation and anger management.

Timothy Hill said his brother has been troubled for years, including a dangerous incident when he was 16 years old.

"We even brought it to judge's attention and they just didn't want to do nothing, but it honestly went from him going and breaking into places to setting our house on fire with eight people in the house asleep," Timothy Hill said.

Timothy Hill said his brother was never charged in connection to the fire.

Tuesday afternoon, police say, he slipped into Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy and told a school bookkeeper to call police and Channel 2 Action News.

Antoinette Tuff told a WSB-TV employee that the gunman wanted Channel 2 Action News to "start filming as police die." Tuff spoke to Channel 2 Action News exclusively about watching the gunman load his gun and trying to talk him down.

DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander said Hill fired on officers as they arrived and officers returned fire.

"When we received the call and we engaged, he started to fire from inside the school at our officers. He had one or two of the staff members inside the main office. He was holding them captive," Alexander said.

Hill was then apprehended peacefully. He waived his court appearance on Wednesday and is being held on no bond.

"I had a feeling he was going to eventually one day do something stupid, but not of this magnitude," Timothy Hill said.

Hill said he feels like his brother could have gotten more help with his mental issues. He said he was not in contact with his brother due to a restraining order issued in connection to his brother's terroristic threats conviction.

WSBTV