According to Savannah-Chatham police Chief Willie Lovett, the incidents at the Olde Pink House restaurant in downtown Savannah and at a home on Milton Street started as a hostage situation last night.

"The intent was to get money," Lovett said

A father and his 11-year-old son were held overnight by two gunmen. This morning, one of them took the father in his Jaguar with the father driving. As they were heading east on Broughton, the victim noticed a police officer outside Starbucks.

Click here to view a slideshow from the scene.

"The victim yelled at the officer then jumped out of the car, " Lovett said. "A shot was fired by the officer."

Addressing the numerous rumors, Lovett said: "No one's been shot, no one's been killed, and as of a short time ago both suspects are in custody."

Investigators still are talking with the victims and suspects, official sources said, and they are continuing to interview them to verify the initial accounts and determine precisely what led up to Thursday morning's events.

Lovett added that there was an initial report he had received that there was a machine gun involved in the Olde Pink House standoff. That reported proved to be false.

Both victims are now safe.

City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney updated council on standoff about 11:30 a.m. "The suspect had been caught," she said. "He met with our wonderful K-9 unit. He survived that. Things should be back to normal in half an hour."





The man, believed to be armed with machine gun, barricaded himself at the Olde Pink House restaurant on Abercorn Street. The incident first unfolded about 8 a.m. Officers have barricaded some streets downtown.





Police told bystanders the suspect was chased into the Pink House. Police were turning away employees who were reporting for work.

Numerous witnesses say a crime occured at Broughton and Bull and that shots were fired. At least two ambulances have responded. Earlier reports that the suspect was holding hostages are not true, according to police.

Gena Sullivan, Savannah-Chatham police spokeswoman, had no other details and said she did not know what started the standoff.

Police closed Reynolds Square, where the restaurant is located in a home built in the late 1700s, and nearby Johnson Square as well as surrounding streets. At least two ambulances have responded.

The Savannah College of Art and Design, which has buildings in the area, sent an alert to the entire campus, school spokeswoman Patricia Roche said. School administrators advised anyone in the area to stay inside and urged everyone else to avoid the area.

Ryan Kelley of Dillard Smith Construction Co. said coworkers told him they saw a man run down an alley with a gun out, telling people to get out of the way.

Megan Oliver-Parker and Anponesha Peterson were on their way to breakfast at Miss Emma's when they were stopped by the scene.

"We could hear all the commotion from where we were walking at Drayon and President. We could hear it more as we got down this way and then two ambulances came speeding past us," said Oliver-Parker.

The city of Savannah just released this statement about downtown parking:

The public should be advised that the Bryan Street and State Street public parking garages, both located between Abercorn and Drayton streets, are currently closed due to a public safety perimeter established by Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police. It is not clear when they will re-open.

On-street meters will not be enforced today to accommodate regular parkers who have been displaced by the closures. Those with vehicles currently in either garage should not attempt to remove them at this point. Those who require urgent access to their vehicles, or who have other questions, should call City of Savannah Parking Services at 651-6470. While Parking Services offices are closed to the public, they are being staffed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Come back to Savannahnow.com for more information as it is available.