UPDATE — The suspect arrested after Sunday night’s hostage situation at a gas station on S. Roan St. admitted to officers that he had consumed methamphetamine and gave details about how he held the hostage.
According to court documents from the General Sessions Court of Carter County Tennessee, Marc Skeen, 35, of Limestone, drove up to the front door of the gas station and fired several shots at the front door.
Marc Skeen affidavit by Anonymous iBvi6lqXeU on Scribd
Skeen was already fleeing from law enforcement and told authorities later that he was trying to buy himself time by taking a hostage.
Court documents say Skeen then pointed a handgun at a clerk and held him at gunpoint until authorities showed up.
Skeen allegedly then pointed the gun at an officer, telling him to leave or he would kill the clerk. Employees at the gas station said it was the clerk’s first night on his own at the business.
As officers and a SWAT team surrounded the Marathon, Skeen laid down inside the gas station with the clerk on top of him. Skeen pointed the gun at the victim’s head and told him he would kill him if law enforcement entered the building.
After negotiators talked Skeen down hours later, he released the weapon and the clerk without incident.
Court documents say Skeen was taken into custody and taken to the Johnson City Police Department headquarters, where he admitted to consuming methamphetamine.
Skeen was convicted of aggravated robbery in Washington County back in 2002.
Skeen was charged with especially aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated assualt and unlawful carrying or possesion of a weapon.
PREVIOUS STORY
UPDATE — The suspect in Sunday night’s 6-hour hostage situation on South Roan St. has been identified.
According to a news release from the Johnson City Police Department, Marc Kristopher Skeen, 35, of Limestone, was arrested after negotiators were able to get Skeen to disarm himself and release the victim.
The release says a perimeter was set up around the scene by members of the Johnson City Police Department and SWAT.
Skeen was charged with especially aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Skeen was taken to the Carter County Detention Center where he is awaiting a hearing Monday morning in General Sessions Court.
Skeen had previously been sentenced to 63 monthis in federal court in 2010 for weapons violations charges that stemmed from a domestic altercation
Carter County Sheriff’s Office, Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol assisted the Johnson City Police Department during the standoff.
PREVIOUS STORY
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Officials have confirmed an arrest has been made after a 6-hour standoff at the Marathon gas station on South Roan St. in Johnson City.
PREVIOUS STORY: Heavy police presence at South Roan Street gas station in Johnson City
Captain Perry of the Johnson City Police Department told News Channel 11 officers responded to the gas station last night after getting a report of an armed robbery around 8:40 p.m., which turned out to be a hostage situation with the store clerk held at gunpoint.
News Channel 11 confirmed the suspect entered the gas station with a weapon and pointed it at a clerk inside. Witnesses and store employees reported the suspect assaulted the store clerk over the counter.
The weapon was fired during the incident. Employees tell News Channel 11 at least four shots were fired.
The front door of the gas station was blown out during the ordeal, and a vehicle with bullet holes was towed away.
Employees of the gas station told News Channel 11 the vehicle was the suspect’s, and he had arrived and fired shots through his own windshield before shooting out the front door of the gas station.
Employees also said that the clerk who was held hostage was still in his first week of working at the gas station, and Sunday night was his first night working alone.
Store employee Donna Nary, who referred to the clerk as “Jimmy,” said the clerk told her the suspect came into the store “pretty methed out, screaming about he wasn’t going back, he’s not going back, they’re not going to do that to him, he’s not going back.”
“I guess he figured he’d take someone as a hostage,” Nary said.
Witnesses described the suspect leaping over the counter and attacking the clerk.
“The guy in the white car pulled in screeching in like he was going to drive through the store and then jumped out jumped over the counter and then start hitting him and was like ‘oh you’re messing with my wife’ and then he fired a shot and then we took off,” said witness Linda Nicolas.
Officials confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody after a 6-hour standoff, during which the suspect held a hostage inside with a gun.
When the arrest was made, the suspect surrendered without incident.
No one was injured during the ordeal.
Employees said that the clerk is shaken up, but he has said he does plan on returning to work.
This is an active investigation. Stay with News Channel 11 online and on-air for updates.
