Update on Security Incident from July 9

By Tim Cook
Security Director

As many residents are aware, there was a strong police presence in The Landings on Saturday night (July 9) regarding an incident at a resident’s home. Since Saturday, I have been in touch with our Chatham County Police Department (CCPD) counterparts to learn more information to share with the community. However, I want to clarify a few questions and explain how your Security Department handles such incidents.

As with any criminal issue, the appropriate authority to respond and handle the issue is the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction. For example, such an agency might be Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), or even the Secret Service. Landings Security then acts as a resource for that agency. Our Security and Communications teams take the direction and lead from the agency having jurisdiction, and this includes notifications. The agency having jurisdiction in the incident that occurred on Saturday was CCPD.

If the commander on scene determines that public notification is warranted, CCPD will immediately update Twitter and Facebook and then alert local media. However, those decisions are made based on the unfolding situation and can differ for every incident. The Commanding Officer will evaluate several factors, including Officer safety, public safety, need to know, post-incident investigation, and pending criminal charges. As for post-incident notifications, TLA will continue to work with CCPD and their Public Relations Department regarding the content of information that should be shared. TLA will defer to the on-scene commander as they know the intricate details of the situation. We do not want to jeopardize the safety of the law enforcement personnel on-scene or anyone else, or hinder an ongoing investigation.

In the case on Saturday, the on-scene commander determined a mass communication was not in order. The affected area was contained, and the community was not in danger. To clarify facts of Saturday’s (July 9) incident, at approximately 10:15 p.m., CCPD responded to a disturbance call in the 500 block of Landings Way South. The suspect in the incident had a firearm and barricaded himself alone in a home. When he did not follow officers’ commands to leave the residence, CCPD officers called for assistance from SWAT. After SWAT arrived, the suspect surrendered without any further incident.

According to Chatham County Sheriff Department’s booking website, the resident was arrested and charged with aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer, reckless conduct, and simple battery. Please remember, a person is considered innocent until convicted in a court of law.