CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) – New information is available in the Friday arrest of a suspect who deputies say barricaded himself inside a home for hours.
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office says that it was assisted by the U.S. Marshals Task Force in arresting 27-year-old Andrew Robert Mettal Friday evening.
Andrew Robert Mettal, 27, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping, Charleston County deputies say. (Al Cannon Detention Center)
They say he was arrested on Mauss Hill Road in Hollywood and now faces one charge of kidnapping and another of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree.
Mettal had reportedly been served a felony warrant just before noon Friday. Officials say they attempted to communicate with him upon their arrival, but that he immediately barricaded himself within the home.
In a release, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office said it called in SWAT, the Crisis Negotiation Team and Unmanned Aircraft Systems to the scene around 2:45 p.m.
They say Mettal refused to respond to repeated calls, texts and other attempts to gain his attention by authorities for multiple hours. Around 5:30 p.m., deputies fired chemical irritants into the home. Mettal remained barricaded.
K-9 Rex was deployed into the home and successfully narrowed down the search down to the attic inside the home.
Law enforcement later found Mettal inside one of the walls. They say he had to be physically removed from the home just before 7 p.m.
Officials say he will be in court for a bond hearing Saturday morning.
This investigation is ongoing.
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