Man who shot relative, prompted standoff turns himself in to police

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — The man who police said shot a relative Saturday morning and then escaped capture following an hours-long standoff at a home on Steuben Drive turned himself in, police say.

Officers said they tried to get the suspect, Johnathan Williams, to surrender for more than six hours after he barricaded himself inside his home.

[PHOTOS: Man in custody after hours-long SWAT standoff]

When police finally entered the house, they said Williams had escaped.

Williams, 32, who has a previous felony conviction, is on the run and could have multiple guns, police said.

Police said Williams shot a female relative inside the home early Saturday morning. The woman's injuries were not serious.

When police arrived around 5 a.m., they said they saw Williams, but the immediate focus was getting everyone inside the home out safely.

"It appears that during the time the officers were focused on extracting the gunshot victim and others from the residence, he may have slipped out through the back door,” said Huntersville Police Chief Cleveland Spruill.

(Click PLAY to watch Channel 9's raw interview with Huntersville police)

Around 11:50 a.m., thinking he was still inside, officers surrounded the home and burst through the door.

The process included the SWAT team, special weapons forces and multiple tactics to get Williams out, but when police made their way inside, the house was empty and Williams was gone, police said.

“We heard explosions and some gunshots,” said neighbor Corey Bossenberger. “It was a very long, drawn-out process.”

"The SWAT truck, guys are jumping out and running through people's yards," another neighbor said. “We're all in shock."

Dozens of people had to evacuate their homes, and most of the neighborhood was sealed off.

"About 10 o’clock, we heard what sounded like a concussion grenade,” neighbor Scott Cianci said. “(This neighborhood is) extremely quiet, you know, this is really rare, really friendly. Everyone seems to take care of each other. (This is) just one of the things that happens in the crazy world we live in nowadays."

Police said Williams is known to wear body armor and has a gun.

The Huntersville Police Department has obtained four warrants on Williams for the charges of discharging a firearm into occupied property, possession of a firearm by a felon, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and assault by pointing a gun.

Williams is described as white, 5 feet 9 inches tall, 160 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

After an exhaustive search of the neighborhood, police allowed residents back into their homes.

“Yeah, it's nice that he's gone, but not nice that he's on the loose,” Bossenberger said.

Police said that in the past few years, they have had contact with Williams multiple times.

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