Man barricaded himself inside motel room with woman, baby, 6 dogs, 2 snakes and a turtle, police say

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Clayton County police took a man into custody after he barricaded himself inside a motel room. When police cleared the room, they found several animals also inside.

Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach reported live on Channel 2 Action News This Morning as it unfolded at the American Inn and Suites on Old Dixie Highway.

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Around 3:30 a.m. Thursday, police responded to complaints of criminal activity at an abandoned motel nearby.

One of the officers heard two gunshots fired about 20 feet from him and spotted a man, identified as Kendrick Thomas, running across the parking lot.

Officers saw Thomas run into a room at back of the American Inn and Suites, then proceeded to barricade himself for about 90 minutes.

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The situation ended peacefully when police said Thomas came out of the room along with a woman and small baby. Police said they confirmed with surveillance video that Thomas was the man who officers saw.

Police said Thomas didn’t tell them if anyone else was inside the motel room.

SWAT teams entered, did a clean sweep and found no one else inside the room; however, police did discover six dogs, two snakes and a turtle. They also found a gun and shell casings.

Thomas faces the following charges: Reckless Conduct, Cruelty to Children 1st Degree, Cruelty to Animals, and Obstruction of Law Enforcement.

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