This browser does not support the Video element.
Drug warrant turns into SWAT standoff
A SWAT standoff in a quiet Cobb County neighborhood ended Thursday night with four suspects in custody, a major drug seizure, and no injuries, following an exchange of gunfire between law enforcement and an armed suspect during a raid on a home in Austell.
AUSTELL, Ga. - A SWAT standoff in a quiet Cobb County neighborhood ended Thursday night with four suspects in custody, a major drug seizure, and no injuries, following an exchange of gunfire between law enforcement and an armed suspect during a raid on a home in Austell.
Warrant execution leads to SWAT standoff
What we know:
The Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna (MCS) Narcotics Unit, a multi-agency drug task force, was executing a narcotics search warrant at a home on Eugenia Place, off Austell Powder Springs Road, when the situation escalated. Authorities say 36-year-old Jose Vidali Cruz-Azanza fired multiple gunshots at officers and deputies before retreating back into the residence. Law enforcement returned fire but no one was hit.
After a standoff that lasted several hours, SWAT members entered the home and took Cruz-Azanza into custody. Three other individuals — Yosili Lurisa Diaz, 32; Naymar Ventura Hererra, 22; and Jose Resendez Zurita, 40 — were also arrested.
During a search of the property, investigators recovered 8.55 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, 1.7 grams of cocaine, five grams of marijuana, and four firearms. All four individuals are charged with trafficking methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, and possession of less than one ounce of marijuana. Cruz-Azanza faces additional charges of three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Diaz and Zurita are also charged with misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement.
"I am thankful no deputies or officers were injured while removing this lethal amount of meth from our community," said Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens. "If you traffic drugs into Cobb County, our MCS unit will find you, and you will face justice. These drugs, particularly meth, have destroyed too many individuals and families."
What is the MCS Narcotics Unit
Big picture view:
The MCS Narcotics Unit is part of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division and includes officers from the Acworth, Austell, Cobb County, Kennesaw, Marietta, and Smyrna police departments.
Residents react to shooting, SWAT standoff
What they're saying:
Residents described a tense and chaotic evening as police worked to end the standoff peacefully.
"I saw multiple officers throw flashbangs in. It blew out all the windows, blew out the top part of the attic," said Blake Herrin, who lives on the street.
Neighbors say the home had been a source of concern for months.
"Cars come in and out of this neighborhood from here. They were always loud and if you ever tried to talk to them they were intent like back away kind of deal," one resident said.
Herrin said the neighborhood is usually peaceful and close-knit.
"We're very close with all of our neighbors, so it’s not something we would think would happen here on Eugenia," he said.
What's next:
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case, which is standard procedure in incidents involving an officer firing a weapon.
The Source: FOX 5's Denise Dillon spoke with residents for this story. Additional details come from previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports.