A man has been taken into custody after making bomb threats and being involved in a standoff with police in Franklin for around eight hours.
The incident began around 5:30 a.m. Sunday at Franklin’s Embassy Suites Hotel.
According to police, the male suspect, later identified as 26-year-old Paul Briggs of Murfreesboro, called two dispatch centers and said he had a sniper rifle and explosives. He added he intended to use them.
"Our first step is obviously to make contact with the suspect and see if we can assess that further," said Franklin Lieutenant Charles Warner. "The statements he made were very strong and very alarming. Obviously, we have a huge responsibility to make sure those threats are not acted out."
Those with the hotel worked with police to immediately evacuate the hotel with guests being taken to their vehicles and away from the property.
"I woke up this morning to a lot of knocking off and on," said hotel guest Miranda Ivey, who at first thought the knocking was a prank. "The fourth time we opened the door and police were there. They said we had to leave."
Authorities encountered Briggs in the hallway of the hotel, which was when he went to his room and barricaded himself in for several hours.
Around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, authorities confirmed that those with the Franklin Police SWAT Team had taken Briggs into custody.
They added they kept a safety perimeter up at that time and the guests remained evacuated so bomb technicians could continue to assess the area and rule out any remaining danger.
Just before 3 p.m. Franklin police officers said the all clear had been given, and guests were allowed back in; however, they said the second floor and north parking lot remained closed for investigation.
Officials confirmed they did not find explosives or guns in Briggs' room or car.
Murfreesboro man charged in Embassy Suites Standoff https://t.co/Gu9E40btZw pic.twitter.com/s0T7zq8hk9
— Franklin Police Dept (@FranklinTNPD) November 14, 2016
Briggs had been arrested multiple times previously. Following Sunday's standoff, he was charged with filing a false report and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was being held in the Williamson County Jail on a $102,500 bond. Briggs has been scheduled to appear in court at 1 p.m. Thursday.
