A man who brandished a gun at a local fitness gym Tuesday surrendered to police after a near-hourlong standoff.
No one was injured, and no shots were fired.
Dan Waldrop, 56, was taken into custody just before 1 p.m. inside Fitness Factor in Towne Square Shopping Center on 18th Avenue North.
The suspect went to Columbus Police Department for questioning but had still not been booked in Lowndes County Adult Detention Center by press time.
“We’re going to see what charges are pending, and we’re also going to see if he needs some medical attention,” Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said during a joint press conference with Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins Tuesday afternoon.
“This gentleman has some medical issues,” Hawkins said. “We’re looking to see if there’s some help he needs as far as mental health.”
Waldrop entered Fitness Factor and got into an altercation with an employee, Daughtry said. He then brandished a handgun, and clients and employees ran from the building and began calling 911.
“There was a gun displayed, but the people inside the business were able to get out,” Hawkins said. “There were no hostages held at gunpoint that we are aware of at this point. That’s still under investigation and we will determine that once we finish investigating.”
At about noon, officers with CPD, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Mississippi Department of Corrections officers all swarmed the Towne Square Shopping Center.
Law enforcement convinced Waldrop to surrender because one of the officers on scene knew him, Hawkins said.
“We were able to make contact with him because one of the individuals with MHP works out at that gym and had kind of a rapport with him,” Hawkins said. “He was able to make contact through the doorway and speak with him. He convinced him to put the gun down.”
After Waldrop put down his gun, Hawkins said officers entered the gym and Waldrop gave up peacefully. Officers recovered the weapon.
Negotiation in these situations can be a hard sell, Hawkins said.
“(Negotiators) are talking with somebody who has made threats with a gun and trying to get them to turn themselves in,” Hawkins said. “That’s a hard thing to do, to talk someone into going to jail.”
Neither Daughtry nor Hawkins know exactly how many people were inside Fitness Factor when Waldrop pulled the gun.
“Nobody was hurt, and we’re thankful that the people in there were able to get out,” Daughtry said.
“There were a lot of rumors about shots being fired, about an active shooter,” Hawkins added. “We do not know of any shots fired.”
Fitness Factor owner Beth Jeffers did not return a Dispatch phone call seeking comment before press time.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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