A north Fayette County man with a knife is in custody after a six-hour standoff at a mobile home park with officers having to tase him to take him into custody.

Christopher A. Smith, 27, was charged with child molestation and aggravated assault, according to Fayette County Jail records.

Sheriff Barry Babb said deputies on Nov. 6 at approximately 7:55 a.m. were called to a residence at the Kenwood Landing Mobile Home Park off Milam Road in reference to a verbal altercation.

Deputies arrived to find the adult female resident of the home outside. She explained that she had been in an altercation with Smith over a female juvenile, and that he had cut the woman with a knife during the altercation, Babb said.

Smith came out of the home holding a knife as deputies were talking with the woman. He began cutting himself and threatening suicide, Babb noted.

Instructed by deputies to put the knife down, Smith ran back inside the house and later yelled that he would shoot the officers. It was at that point a perimeter was established and SWAT teams from Fayette County and Clayton County were contacted, Babb explained.

Babb said a six-hour standoff ensued with a negotiator at the scene, and with officers evacuating nearby homes.  

The incident culminated with tear gas being fired into the home, followed by officers breaching the residence and Smith being tased in order to be taken into custody, said Babb, adding that a firearm was not found at the time of the incident.

Babb said the investigation at the scene led to the charge of child molestation involving a female juvenile known to Smith.