Threat From Watkinsville Man Prompts Sunday Lockdown at Athens Regional

A Watkinsville man upset about his brother being on life support in Athens Regional's ICU made threats that led to a Sunday afternoon lockdown at the medical facility.

According to a story in the Athens Banner Herald, the man was threatening to shoot a doctor whom he felt was responsible for his brother being on life support. The doctor retired in 2012 and moved to Florida, the story says, so he wasn't even in town, much less in the hospital.

People who heard the man make the threat, or heard about the threat, called authorities at the hospital and warned them, the story says. They, in turn, contacted Athens Clarke County Police, who surrounded the man's truck when he arrived at the hospital. Police found no guns and made no arrest. The lockdown affected the emergency room and lasted about 10 minutes, the story says.

The story says police plan to monitor the situation and to have extra patrols at the private practice from which the doctor retired. Athens Regional owns several private practices in Athens. 

Subscribe to the Athens Patch Newsletter, like us on Facebook, follow Athens Patch on Twitter