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McDavid SWAT Standoff Ends Peacefully; Suspect Taken Into Custody
August 11, 2013
A standoff between a McDavid man and an Escambia County SWAT team ended peacefully early Sunday morning with the arrest of 54-year old Gary Daniel Griffis.
The incident began around 9 p.m. Saturday at Griffis’ mobile home at 681 Gunner Road, off Mystic Springs Road east of Highway 29. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to an known type disturbance at the home, according to Deputy Courtney Clanton, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
A shot was reportedly fired from within the mobile home where Griffis had barricaded himself inside. Griffis refused to exit the home, and the SWAT team and negotiator were called to a staging area at the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department on Highway 29. The SWAT team departed the staging area for the mobile home on Gunner Road just after 10 p.m.
At about 12:40 a.m., Clanton reported that the standoff had come to an end after teargas was fired and Griffis was taken into custody without further incident. Griffis was booked into the Escambia County Jail on an outstanding felony warrant for aggravated battery. He was being held on a $5,000 bond.
There were no injuries, Clanton said, and no shots were fired by deputies.
Pictured top: An Escambia County SWAT vehicle at a staging area set up Saturday night at the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department. Pictured below: The Sheriff’s Office command center on scene with an Escambia County EMS ambulance nearby. Pictured bottom: The SWAT staging area at the McDavid VFD. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
25 Responses to “McDavid SWAT Standoff Ends Peacefully; Suspect Taken Into Custody”
@asking questions: Yes an invitation to come to church was the reason the conversation happen in the first place. Many of your questions seem more like assumptions. When someone is in the condition G.G. is in you don’t know if he is even going to be willing to talk to you much less go anywhere with you. He has been fed. He has been visited. He has been loved and prayed for by many of his friends and family. I can’t help but think from reading your statements that you are a prime example of why Gary wasn’t willing to go to a church. Also G.G. told me that night that he still believed in God which was my main goal at the time. God says if a person has faith as small as a mustard seed and are willing to let him work through them that mountains can be moved. I’m praying that Gary will let God work and rest assured they’re are plenty of people pulling for him.
@asking questions..first of all if he believes in his mind people are trying to hurt/kill him I’m sure he’s not going to let someone use scissors to cut his hair. Second his clothes are washed and meals are cooked for him on a daily bases. I’m sorry that his appearance offends you but not everyone can go and buy new things they’re to worried about paying their bills. Gary is very much loved and depression is the least of his problems. He has a mental problem that’s irreversible. I know for a fact that his family has tried to get him help. He was put in Lakeview but they could only hold him for 72 hours because he didn’t show any signs of hurting himself or others. He said he knew what they were doing so he kept his mouth shut about “the people” that were there to hurt him. I have noticed that when a story is on this site in a negative manner everyone has an opinion but stories that are positive nothing!!! There’s something wrong with that…people think they know what should be done and are quick to judge them. I don’t understand that!! Gary keep your head up along with the rest of his family. Pray that God will prevail!!
To “asking questions”
To your questions….YES, YES and YES!!!
STEVE……..THANK YOU for the kind words!
as a matter of act he is getting out tonight and will be going for treatment.
Thank you for the prayers.
I know the family will do everything possible to get him help and support him but it will be up to him to accept it….we will see. I pray his faith in God will grow and he will see what real love is
To T:
There are obviously many people who love Gary and want to see him ok. Maybe you can check with Lakeview for substance abuse or mental health treatment or assistance when he gets out. It looks like he has a $5000 bond so he can get out if you or someone will put up $500. If not, he will be there until his September court date. If nothing else, he will be sober and drug free for a period of time. You are right, he definitely needs Jesus in his life. I will be praying for him as well as you and your families. God Bless.
Steve
I believe it was T who indicated that her husband sat with this gentleman ans spoke of God – why did you not take the next step and invite him to ride to church and sit with you? You said he indicated he was interested……………
How many of us know someone like this (lets take any possible addiction problems out of the equation) ?? Someone who has had tragedy and are on the downward sprial of depression?? There are free or low cost services available at Lakeview – they do sliding scale based on income however you must keep your appointments……….
Did any of his “friends or family” offer to help him get a haircut or offer to trim his hair for him? make sure he had food or take him a plate? just go sit and talk to him? maybe go to a thrift shop and get him some clothes or offer to do his wash?
Depression is a horrible disease and if coupled with other problems – either mental health or substance abuse can have dire consequences.
AA and NA are free and I believe Most Excellent Way is also and is Bible based.
I feel so bad for this man that so many people saw him detoriating and did not step up and help him – please remember to help your neighbors and family.
To “ME”
Thank you for the information, but no thanks to the church you named.
The outrageous charges for their services, and their demands…..just can’t be met by this family. Done checked on it.
Your loved one might be one of the lucky one’s who got a free visit, but this facility is more expensive than any other I have ever checked on.
There are demands that have to be met for that place and I just don’t think he fits nor would qualify, however I would love to invite ANY preacher out there that is qualified/licensed to enter the ESCO facility to go and visit GARY and pray with him.
As a matter of fact, I am asking, no I beg, if there is ANY preacher with any passion….please…GO….go visit with him, pray with him, for him..or if you know a preacher, call them, ask them to go and visit with “Gary Daniel Griffis”
This is a plea……..
I am glad that this ended with no one getting hurt. G is my family as well and when I got the call of what was going on I knew the only thing I could do was pray for him. I know when his sister died it was very hard on him and at his mother’s funeral I felt so sorry for him because you could tell that he really loved his mama. Hopefully he can get the help he needs cause he would never hurt anyone on purpose. His brothers and sisters are all the same way would give you the shirt off their back or anything else that you need. Most people just automatically look at the picture and think what a bad person, but I would like to ask those who have made those comments against him Have you Looked at your past? No one is perfect in this world and sometimes we all need a little help and a lot of prayer. So don’t be so quick to JUDGE people before you know the whole story.
It absolutely amazing that a person like (Karen) would post some rediculous comment about ” trigger happy cops”. I bet if any of Karen family members went off the deep end and starting shooting at her or her family members she would call those ” trigger happy cops”. If Karen has a better solution for the worlds problem she need to go present her ideas to an investor so they can make loads of cash and solve the worlds problems. I don’t think any of those ” trigger happy cops” enjoyed going up to century or damn near century enjoyed it. So as it goes cops are human and make mistakes however the main part of their business is saving people from themselves.
@ Gary’s family. My hope is that Gary can get the help he needs. He could be any one’s brother or family member. There is an old saying that goes along the line of– “except for the grace of God there go I”. Wishing for help for all who are fighting their personal battles, be they mental or substance abuse or what ever.
T
I understand completely the frustration you and this family feel for this man. Been there. It seems like everyone and every establishment that says come in and we will help you just shuts the door in their face because of some stupid criteria. The first and most IMPORTANT step is that the person has to want the help. May I please suggest one step that I know works if they are at this point. It’s called MEW (Most Excellent Way) they can pick up a schedule of which churchs hold these meetings or go online to find where they are held. Another great place is called New Begginings in Brewton. They are faith based and believe me, after trying all the other programs out there this is the only ones that have worked for my loved one.
Please know that our prayers are with this man and his loved ones.
@Ricardo my statement was made not because it was posted on here, but because it was posted on fb by this site more than once. I don’t have a problem with it being posted with the article but when it’s posted again on fb by the people who run this site that bothers me! So don’t get things twisted….I just don’t agree with it being posted again when you can see it in the article. So feel safe because you definitely know what he looks like. God Bless you
To ESCO Responder, Karen and other commenters here,
Strange how we all like to knock others here with no eye contact, we would normally mind our own business in person.
Also how it makes us feel different when it is someone close to us or we know personally.
@ Heather,
I wish you and your family well and hope your uncle can get help as needed.
@karen
Your “trigger happy cops” were likely the only reason he didnt kill himself or somebody else. I’m sure the responding officers don’t expect a thank you, but at least have the respect or courtesy to not bash the ones that came out in the middle of the night to save his life.
Gary is my unckle and it breaks my heart to see this photo! Gary is a kind loving man and he just needs help! We love you unckle g!! God is with you!
No disrespect to you disappointed, but his picture needed posting. If I’m in a grocery store or service station and I see him I would be very careful and stay away from him, since he has access to a gun. Why did he have the one he shot in the mobile home if he was mentally unstable. I’m sure he can find another one. I feel sorry for him and hopefully he can get some help somewhere. His family is also in my prayers and I feel sorry for them. My dad had the same problem years ago and I was so scared that I came close to killing him at one time. I just hope this family will get through this without problems. Praying for them all.
——-that my problems are so small in comparison and feeling so blessed. May God be with this man and give peace to him and his family. Who knows why he is unable to cope with life without drugs. Just do not judge—- and think—”there, but for the grace of God, goes me or my loved ones.’
Why this site just keeps posting and posting not caring what family members think this was not no hostage situation the man is sick and obviously it’s mental so why continue the blasting of him he hurt no one and he is safe in the jail….Thank God our trigger Happy cops didn’t bust up in there or climb thru a window……….
It disappoints me that you feel the need to post his picture again on fb. His family is hurt already and has tried to get him help on numerous occations. He is suffering from a documented mental problem! Yes he’s an alcoholic and a known drug user but to put his face on fb again is very HURTFUL to his family. He has brothers,sisters,children,grand children,nieces, and nephews that love him very much! The police have known of his mental state so why not put that in your story. I hope people will understand this and at least show the family some compassion. I would just about bet that every family has someone they love that drinks alcohol or has used drugs!! I’m just thankful that this terrible incident ended with no one being hurt and I thank God for that. I am praying for him and his family.
This man, you have to understand YES he needs help and putting him in a jail cell is not what he needed!
He needed to be put in the hospital, under a Dr.’s care with a mental evaluation and provided with the medical care that he needs…….
only a couple of years ago he is the one who found his sister floating in the river dead, and just lost his own mother 2 days before Christmas.
YES drugs and alcohol is a big fault in this messy life of his, and the family has begged for help for him, tried to explain to the Dr.’s that he is totally not himself these days. Because like many others he doesn’t meet the normal “welfare, Medicaid, FREE medical help” care”, he hasn’t received the medical help that he needs.
Am I saying what he has done is ok? NO, I am not, BUT I can say that if he were to be put on medication, antidepressant medication, drug & alcohol rehab, and professional treatment to help him recover from what he has been through the last couple of years that he would be back to a normal life.
I just hope and pray that the Judge in this case will recognize that he desperately needs help and will put him in a mental facility so he can get the help he needs.
Lord knows that this world is bad enough, and if he doesn’t get the help he needs NOW, we just might be reading on here another story like the one a few days ago that he has killed a loved one or himself.
“JOHN” yes at 54, he looks awful, no denial……take a minute and say a prayer for him, his family, and that he can get the help he needs. If they send him home, it will only continue and next time we might read that he actually does kill someone or himself.
I say all of this because only about 3 weeks ago, my husband sat 3 feet from him and talked with him about God. His response was positive, and showed interest in wanting to hear more, but worries that if he were to go to ANY church, people will judge him by his looks, and what he is wearing”! Isn’t that what most people do? AND on here? I know sometimes I do too, but this has taught me a lesson because I know him well, and I know that his actions last night was not the real Gary Griffis!
I just pray that he will receive the help he needs, and maybe, just maybe he will be able to walk into “ANY’ church without being judged, welcomed with open arms, and lot’s of love.
Please don’t take my comment wrong as if I am taking up for his actions and behavior, because I am NOT. There are consequences, even for the sick!
What a shame.Look at the picture 54 years old and looks 70. Drugs/alchol will do that to you. No other reason to look like this at 54. No one can help him unless he wants help himself. No amount of money or programs can help an individual unless they want the help.
Gary has needed help for a long time. I pray that he gets the help he needs. I am so thankful he did not hurt himself or anyone else.
Nice to see the Sheriff’s Dept. using non-lethal means of apprehending suspects rather than going in with guns a blazin….
Praise the Lord! We were called about 9ish to pray concerning this situation. I got off the phone and we prayed. Thanking the Lord that He answered and there was a peaceful answer. I BELIEVE in prayer and this proves that God DOES answer prayer….
Praise God that nobody was injured. Hopefully, this individual will get the help he needs.