Robot used in standoff at a Warner Robins home. Suspect faces battery charge, cops say

The Warner Robins Police Department SWAT Team used robots to limit human contact and negotiate with an armed suspect barricaded in a home Tuesday, according to police Chief Wayne Fisher.

The WRPD SWAT Team arrested Johnny Knight on a charge of aggravated battery after he severely injured another man by hitting him with a gun, police said. Knight had barricaded himself into a family member’s home, according to police, and officers spent hours trying to get him out. The police department said Wednesday that it was a domestic violence incident.

The police department arrested the man around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, about five hours after the assault occurred.

“The SWAT Team could be involved with that due to certain risk factors … in situations dealing with high risk, warrant services and emergency call-out for SWAT, such as this,” Fisher said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

How, why Warner Robins SWAT team used robot

The SWAT Team used a federal program that gives officers access to certain military equipment “that is not military in nature for militarized purpose or use,” Fisher said.

Robots were used to limit human-to-human contact, and “create a little bit more space and time between the actors of the situation,” such as police and suspects, Fisher said.

The human-controlled robots, only deployed by the SWAT team, move on a rolling tracker throughout a high-risk crime scene, usually to locate or speak to a suspect. They can move up and downstairs.

“There’s a control arm that would allow for that arm to pick up something or open up a door nob,” Fisher said. “It has a camera monitor set up on it so that you can have a means of communication as well as a mic speaking point.”

The robots are also used to “peacefully” deal with a person in crisis, but that was not the case in this situation, Fisher said.

The SWAT Tam was called after Johnny Knight and another man got into a “verbal altercation,” at Knight’s girlfriend’s home at 201 Johns Road around 8:15 a.m. Tuesday. The incident escalated when Knight began “striking (the victim) several times in the face with a firearm causing severe injuries,” the police department said.

The man who was hit with the gun was the only person injured, according to Fisher.

“Due to the nature of the crime and the suspect being armed,” the SWAT Team was activated to apprehend the man after a standoff at a local home, police said Tuesday morning.

Police initially responded to the incident for aggravated battery, but when they searched for Knight at a family member’s home at 209 Wisconsin Ave., they couldn’t “make contact with anyone inside” despite seeing movement in the home.

Knight was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon without incident, and transported to a local hospital at his request for medical treatment to a preexisting condition, Fisher said. The condition was unrelated to the domestic situation.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was listed in stable condition, the press release said.

The 200 Block of Wisconsin Avenue was cleared Tuesday afternoon and traffic resumed as usual, police said.

Anyone with information related to this incident can call detectives at 478-302-5380 or Macon Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-877-68CRIME.

This story was originally published June 5, 2024, 2:41 PM.