ATHENS, Alabama - Police officers were sent to three Athens schools as a precaution today when a man who was reportedly suicidal left his home with a gun and said he was going to pick up his children, a spokeswoman said.

The man, Louis Jermaine Cattage, 32, of 108 Cedar Street in Athens, is the father of three children who attend different city schools - Brookhill Elementary, Athens Middle and Athens High School. Classes began Monday.

Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson said an investigation into the incident is ongoing but Cattage never went to any of the three schools and no one was injured.

"No one at the schools was ever threatened, and all the city schools have restricted access," Johnson said. "My officers and the school system responded as they were supposed to, and we were able to get this situation resolved quickly."

Cattage was eventually arrested on Sanderfer Road and charged with third-degree domestic violence and carrying a pistol without a permit, City of Athens spokeswoman Holly Hollman said. Cattage had a 25-caliber handgun loaded with one bullet in his possession when he was stopped, she said.

Police followed policy, Johnson said. "We sent officers to each of the schools and notified all three principals and the superintendent about the situation," the chief said.

The incident began at 10:42 a.m. when a woman called Athens Police to report she had been attacked by her husband after an argument. She said he grabbed a pistol and threatened to commit suicide.

The woman left the home and went to a service station on U.S. Highway 72 to call police, Hollman said.

"She later advised the dispatcher her husband had called her after she reported the incident to police and said he was going to pick up their children from school," Hollman said. "Lt. Steve Moore notified officers that the husband likely was headed to one of the schools."

Following the alert, Officer Randy Vickers saw Cattage driving along Minuteman Drive toward Brookhill Elementary School. Cattage did not stop at the school but instead headed to Sanderfer Road where Vickers stopped and arrested him.

Call al.com reporter Kelly Kazek at 256-701-0576 or find her on Facebook.