Gunman Who Held Five Firefighters Hostage Wanted Utilities Restored

Georgia authorities said the gunman who took five firefighters hostage on Wednesday, wanted his utilities restored, according to CBS News.

The firefighters arrived at the house expecting to respond to a medical emergency. Instead, to their surprise, an armed man was there to greet them. He demanded the firefighters, at gunpoint, to switch back on his cable and power. The gunman was in the midst of financial troubles and his home was up for foreclosure.

According to authorities, the five firefighters were hostages for hours until police and SWAT arrived. The gunman did allow one of the firefighters to leave to move a truck. HAuthorities felt the other four were in grave danger.

After setting off a stun blast, SWAT teams raided the house. A firefight ensured and the gunman was killed in the gun fight. One member of SWAT was shot in the arm but the injury was not serious. The firefighters did not suffer any major injuries.

The firefighters and an injured officer were tended to at an area hospital. Some of the wounded were able to return home.

"In talking to the firefighters and their families just now, they're relieved," Gwinnett County Police Capt. Tommy Rutledge told reporters during a press conference. “They're simply relieved that the situation is over, that their family members are with them and that they're safe." He added that the "firefighters are resilient people and so they're brave and they're daring and they have a passion to help people."

The firefighters are expected to go back to work as soon as possible. The police department did not immediately release the name of the gunman.

"It's an unfortunate circumstance we did not want to end this way," Gwinnett Police County Cpl. Edwin Ritter said. "But with the decisions this guy was making, this was his demise."

Authorities are still investigating the incident, which occurred 30 miles outside Atlanta. They will continue to look into the exact cause of the gunman’s death.