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COMING UP. CAROL: WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW BREAKING NEWS OUT OF ABBEVILLE COUNTY. A MAN IS IN CUSTODY TONIGHT. AND A WOMAN AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN ARE SAFE. MICHAEL: A FOUR HOUR STANDOFF ENDED WITH POLICE USING TEAR GAS. WYFF NEWS 4’S JOHN LYON WITH THE STORY FROM ABBEVILLE. JOHN: IT ALL STARTED WITH A DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE CALL AT SAWMILL ACRES IN ABBEVILLE, AT 3:30 THIS AFTERNOON. >> THE OFFICERS THAT RESPONDED REALIZED THAT ONCE THEY GOT THERE, IT WAS KIND OF A HOSTAGE -- HE BARRICADED HIMSELF IN THE HOUSE. JOHN: THE WOMAN WAS ASSAULTED, POLICE SAY, WITH A FIREARM BY WILLIAM ABERCROMBE. SHE ESCAPED, BUT HE RETREATED INTO THE HOME, WHERE THE CHILDREN WERE. >> HE STARTED THE NEGOTIATION FAIRLY QUICK. I WOULD SAY WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF US BEING THERE. JOHN: SWAT TEAMS AND NEGOTIATORS WERE CALLED. >> ANOTHER AGENCIES NEGOTIATORS COME AND STARTED AND THEN IT JUST WENT FROM THERE. JOHN: A SHORT TIME LATER, THE CHILDREN WERE RELEASED, BUT THEN POLICE SAY ABERCROMBE CAME OUT A LITTLE LATER AFTER TEAR GAS WAS FIRED. >> HE COME OUT AND WAS PLACED IN HANDCUFFS. JOHN: DEMOND DAWSON SAYS HE WORKS WITH ABERCROMBE AT A LOCAL CAR WASH. >> HE WORKED WITH ME EVERY DAY. HE’S JUST A KID, MISLED, AND PICKED SOME WRONG CHOICES. JOHN: ABERCROMBE FACES A WHOLE LIST OF CHARGES, INCLUDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, KIDNAPPING, RESISTING ARREST, AND POSSESSION OF A FIREARM. JOHN LYON, WYFF NEWS

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Advertisement 2 children released by suspect, standoff ends hours later in Abbeville County, officials say Deputies arrest William Abercrombie, 19, uncle of the 2 children

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A man who deputies said was at the center of an hours long standoff that involved two small children inside an Abbeville County home was ordered Thursday held without bond.William Abercrombie, 19, uncle of the two children involved, was denied bond by a judge during a hearing Thursday afternoon.According to Abbeville Police Chief Rob Bosler, the standoff began Wednesday on Sawmill Road near Highway 72.Abbeville Mayor Santana Delano Freeman said a call came in at about 3:30 p.m. from a woman who told police she was assaulted by a man and threatened with a gun. Bosler said the woman was Abercrombie's live-in girlfriend.According to Freeman, the woman hid in an abandoned vehicle until officers arrived and told police there were two children, both under the age of 5, inside the house with Abercrombie.Freeman said Abercrombie initially would not cooperate and refused to leave the home, but after several hours, he released the two children to police.Bosler said the children were released at about 6:15 p.m.The children were not harmed and were returned to their mother, authorities said. According to officials, tear gas was fired into the home. Bosler said at about 7:30 p.m., Abercrombie came out the back door of the home and was arrested.Police considered Abercrombie to be armed and evacuated nearby mobile homes and any businesses that might get caught in any crossfire, officials said. Residents were allowed to return to their homes after the arrest.Bosler said Abercrombie and his girlfriend were in a fight before the standoff.Abercrombie is facing charges of criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, two counts of kidnapping, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and resisting arrest.Abercrombie remains in the Abbeville County Detention Center.