COLLEGE STATION, TX — Thursday morning, just before 10:00 am, College Station Police responded to a call regarding civil disturbance. When the officer arrived on the scene the situation escalated quickly. The suspect was considered dangerous which called for a heavy response of emergency personnel.
The officer approached the male suspect to ensure everything was okay and that is when the male suspect, now identified as Jonathan Bridges, pulled out a gun on the officer.
”The officer got on scene to make contact with the two individuals to make sure they were okay," said Tristen Lopez, Public Information Officer for College Station Police Department. "This happened outside of an apartment in the parking lot at that time the male suspect pulled out a gun and began shooting,”
The suspect then ran into an apartment that was not his. CSPD later learned there was no one else in the apartment besides Bridges.
The teams stood ground and began negotiations with the suspect as they were in communication. CSPD publicly thanked the Brazos County Sheriff's Office as well as all emergency teams that provided assistance on the scene.
The residents of the Southgate Village apartment complex were requested to shelter in place during the standoff.
“Shelter in place for a gunfire situation would mean lock your doors and remain inside, put as many walls between you as possible,” said Lopez.
The residents were safely evacuated at around 1:00 pm. Those with children were transported in a school bus where others had the choice to commute by foot to the Lincoln Recreation Center.
”I work from home so I just heard knocking at my door, I saw police downstairs they asked us to leave our apartment," said Keyuana Hilliard, a resident evacuated from the Southgate apartments. "We evacuated and now they're asking us to go the Lincoln Center,”
Keyuana was simply thankful to know her son was safe at school.
”It’s a true blessing to know that he’s safe with school teachers not worried about this playing with friends and talking, versus being here right now panicking and anxious,” added Hilliard.
After a 5 hour long standoff at around 2:00 pm, the suspect was negotiated out of the apartment. Residents were then advised it was safe to return home.
No one was injured during the events that aspired and Bridges was transported to the county jail, under arrest for violating parole as well as aggravated assault on a public servant, possession of a firearm, and avoiding arrest.