Children Rescued After Hostage Standoff in DeKalb County

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - DeKalb County Police say 11 children were rescued after a standoff at a motel early Tuesday morning.

The suspect, identified as 36 year old Korrie Thomas, was armed with a knife and stabbed himself in the neck as the hostage standoff came to an end. Thomas was critically injured, according to DeKalb Police.

The standoff went on for about five hours. It started just after 3 a.m. at the Rite 4 Us Inn and Suites on Snapfinger Woods Drive.  According to police, officers responded to a 911 call coming from one of the motel rooms. Thomas, a woman and the children, ranging in ages 3-months to 17-years-old, were in a room at the motel.

Investigators told FOX 5 some sort of dispute took place inside and that's when the woman dialed 911. Thomas refused to open the door when officers arrived, according to police. 

SWAT members moved in to surround the building in tactical gear as police blocked off the roadway around the Inn. Officers were communicating with Thomas for some time before the standoff came to an end. As SWAT entered the room they discovered Thomas had stabbed himself in the neck. He was taken to Grady Hospital were he remains in critical condition.  No one else was injured in the standoff.

Police say 10 of the children are Thomas'  with girlfriend Shonta King and the 17 year old was Thomas' younger brother

Neighbors that live at the hotel describe Thomas as being a good responsible father that probably snapped under the pressure of taking care of a large family.

Thomas is facing false imprisonment and obstruction charges.