Suspect in SWAT Call Identified, Faces Long List of Charges

The suspect in the for hours has been identified.

Gwinnett County Police say Matthew Christian Barton, 33, of 674 Moon Rd. in Lawrenceville faces numerous charges related to Wednesday's incident.

At about 10am Wednesday, police received a call about a man, later identified as Barton, beating up a woman inside a black SUV. They were parked at the Shell gas station at the intersection of Buford Drive and Russell Road.

The incident happened right next door to a child care center. The children were moved to the far side of the building as a precaution and were not harmed.

Barton, a convicted felon, eventually let the woman go after police intervention. The woman was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center for treatment.

The suspect then threatened police and claimed to have explosives in his vehicle. 

SWAT members were able to take Barton in to custody after his handgun malfunctioned. 

Buford Drive was shut down for hours from 12Stone Church to Russell Road as the searched Barton's SUV for explosives. Investigators say they found fireworks inside the vehicle, but did not find any IEDs or bombs.

Barton has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of obstruction of a law enforcement officer, one count of battery, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He is being held at the Gwinnett County Detention Center without bond.