Fugitive From Justice No Match for Marietta Patrol, Crime Interdiction, and SWAT Officers
Cobb County 911 dispatchers advised our officers Thursday afternoon at approximately 3:27 PM that they had received text alerts asking for help related to apartment 12B11 in the Falls At Sope Creek complex at 1950 Roswell Road. The original text stated, “HE HAS THREATENED ME AND MY CHILDREN AND THERE ARE WEAPONS PRESENT IN THE HOUSE.” Dispatch provided officers updates as the text messages continued for several minutes. Some of the ADDITIONAL information articulated by the texter included that the man living inside the apartment had numerous drugs, guns and his seven year old daughter with him. They went on to articulate that several video surveillance cameras had been installed inside and outside the apartment, and for officers to be careful as the suspect would likely try to escape. The texter indicated they were afraid for their own safety and that the suspect has multiple warrants from two other states.
Responding officers proceeded cautiously and attempted to contact the occupants of apartment 12B11. When they first approached, the front door was wide open and there was a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the apartment. When officers announced their presence, the door slammed shut. Officers observed a surveillance camera mounted directly above them and continued to try and contact the suspect without success. The decision was made to secure a search warrant for the apartment, and once secured, officers attempted to serve the warrant at approximately 8:20 PM. Our Crime Interdiction Unit was brought in to assist with serving the warrant. At approximately 8:30 PM the front door was breached, and two young females were able to escape. The females indicated they were being held against their will. Based on confirmation that the suspect, Durrell Harris, was inside and had fabricated many countermeasures to prevent entry into the apartment and capture, officers requested assistance from the Marietta Police Department’s (MPD) Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team.
MPD SWAT was activated at 9:26 PM. Neighboring apartments were evacuated to ensure everyone’s safety and SWAT officers began arriving on scene shortly thereafter. SWAT officers began many unsuccessful attempts to contact the suspect via phone calls and public address system. Systematic and methodical steps were taken to motivate the suspect to surrender. After several hours, the team began a controlled entry and search of the apartment. The suspect was located in a makeshift “safe-room” he built inside a bedroom closet and still would not comply nor surrender. Still unclear of weapons in the unit and with the suspect not compliant, SWAT officers deployed a TASER and took him into custody without injury at 12:45 AM. No weapons were located.
The seven-year-old female (name withheld due to age) is the suspect’s daughter. The nineteen-year-old female, Anayaa Tate from Ohio, is a recent acquaintance of the suspect and has cooperated with investigators.
Thirty-five-year-old Durrell Harris of Green Bay Wisconsin has been booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention center facing numerous new charges, as well as the outstanding warrants from Wisconsin. Warrant 22-W-9794 charges Harris with Obstruction/Hindering (M), False Imprisonment (F), VGCSA Marijuana (M), VGCSA Cocaine (F), VGCSA Possession MDMA (F).
