Media

Fugitive Shoots Himself During Hostage Barricade

Release Date: April 28, 2005

A man wanted by Sheriff’s Deputies shot himself today after barricading himself inside his mother-in-law’s home with his two children.

The incident began shortly after midnight when Fugitive Squad Deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office attempted to arrest William Hatcher, 24, of Millington, at a motel at in the 6300 block of Navy Road in Millington.

Hatcher was wanted on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated kidnapping stemming from incidents that happened in September, 2004. He was scheduled for court for the crimes last week but failed to show up.

Deputies say when they tried to arrest Hatcher he put a gun to his head and threatened to kill himself. His wife, who was with him at the hotel, escaped unharmed.

Investigators say Hatcher made it to his car which he drove several miles to his mother-in-law’s home on Simmons Road in nearby Tipton County.

Deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Tipton County Sheriff’s Office and Millington Police Department surrounded the home.

Hatcher refused to come out. He did, however, allow his mother-in-law to leave the house. SWAT Team officers from the various law enforcement agencies later talked Hatcher into releasing his eight-month-old son who had not been harmed.

For several hours, Hatcher remained barricaded inside the house with his three-year-old daughter.

Just after five o’clock this morning, officers heard a shot from inside the house. They went in and found Hatcher had shot himself. His young daughter was not injured.

Hatcher was taken to The Regional Medical Center in critical condition.

UPDATE: William Hatcher died at 1 a.m. on Sunday May 1, 2005 of his self-inflicted gun shot wound.