WATCH: LPD releases video footage from 18-hour standoff on Sunny Point Circle

Published 7:15 pm Friday, December 10, 2021

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This video continues intense moments from a police standoff and may be difficult to watch for some viewers. Watch at your own discretion. 

The LaGrange Police Department released video and additional information Friday that lays out the events leading up to the 18-hour standoff between Brian Jessee and law enforcement officials late last month, and the events that occurred during it.

As part of the video, the LPD released the initial call from a woman who identified herself as Jessee’s significant other. The phone call deciphers the woman asking for police assistance with Jessee, who had two 8-year-old children in the home with him while he was threatening self-harm. The woman said she and Jessee had recently broken up.

“He has children there, he’s having seizures, he won’t go to the hospital, and he’s threatening to kill himself,” the woman said in the video. “He also said if he sees anybody, sees any cops, he’s going to make them shoot him.”

The woman said that he had an “arsenal” of weapons in the household.

Following the call, negotiators worked to communicate with Jessee in an attempt to get him medical and mental help. Negotiators communicated with Jessee via text.

In the texts, Jessee told the negotiator “if I see ya’ll up top…it’s on” and sent photos of himself in a vest and of the guns he had in the home with him.

At the time, the two boys were in the house with Jessee and spoke to the negotiators, alerting them that Jessee was having a seizure. The boys were safely removed from the home.

Video footage notes that the LPD spent approximately six hours on Nov. 15, 2021, negotiating with Jessee. Officers can be heard pleading with Jessee to come out of the home, but Jessee locked himself inside.

On Nov. 16, the LPD initiated commitment proceedings for a mental health evaluation for Jessee and a court order was issued. Prior to the court order being served, credible information was received that led LPD to secure arrest warrants for six counts of felony terroristic threats, one count of cruelty to a child in the second degree, and one count of felony obstruction.

Jessee sent “disturbing” messages saying that he would “shoot every [one] I see in my windows” and “I hope they shoot better than me. I know them all and I’ll slay them. I’m gonna die today.”

The negotiator responded “Bub please! I beg you don’t do this.”

Jessee additionally sent threats directed at specific officers.

“I wanna walk down and shoot his house up,” Jessee wrote.

“Whose house?” the negotiator responded.”

“The chief of police. The one who took [the children] from me. He took mine, I’ll take his,” Jessee wrote.

An immediate operation plan was developed to evacuate the neighborhood. At approximately 3 p.m., the LPD began evacuating residents from the area. While evacuating the neighborhood, Jessee was observed in the 100 block of Sunny Point Circle with an AR-15.

Two residents, an adult and a child, were in their vehicle at the time and officers moved to evacuate them as Jessee moved closer. On the video, Jessee fired multiple rounds from the rifle. Officers commanded him to get on the ground, but Jessee retreated to his house. The video shows him shooting at a drone officers had deployed as well.

In the early morning hours of Nov. 16, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office’s bearcat armored vehicle arrived on scene. Jessee took direct fire at the officers, shooting the vehicle dozens of times. Officers deployed CS gas, otherwise known as tear gas, and smoke in an effort to minimize the risk of danger to Jessee and the officers as they attempted to take Jessee into custody during the early morning hours of Nov. 17.

When provided with a tactical opportunity, LaGrange police officers exchanged gunfire with Jessee. After that exchange, no further shots were fired.

On Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 3:44 a.m., officers observed a small fire inside the garage of the residence.

The LaGrange Fire Department was on standby at the perimeter of the scene and responded immediately to extinguish the fire.

Video footage deciphers the sound of unspent ammunition exploding inside the house as it burned.

What was believed to be Jessee’s remains were recovered inside of the residence and transported for an autopsy to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office.

Because this matter involved an exchange of gunfire between Jessee and police, the LPD noted in the video that the Georgia Bureau of Investigations is continuing its inquiry into the incident and questions regarding the status of the investigation should be directed to the GBI.

Additional personnel called to the standoff included: Peachtree City Police Department, Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, Fulton County Police Department, Newnan Police Department, and the GBI Explosives Division.