The man accused of shooting and killing a police officer is now behind bars after surrendering to police on live television.

Jamie Hood, 33, walked out with several other people he had held hostage late Friday night during Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat.

Everyone had their hands in the air and police quickly took Hood into custody.

After Hood surrendered, police took all nine hostages to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department for questioning.

Channel 2 Action News was there when they were released.

Police released the former hostages one at a time and transported some back to loved ones.


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Jamie Hood Surrenders To Police


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Jamie Hood Surrenders On Live TV


One left police headquarters with her dog in her lap.

Another left out a back door without anything to say.

When police released Quinton Riden, he had an awful lot to say about his good friend Jamie Hood.

“Jamie didn’t do no harm to any of us, and I just want to say free Jamie,” said Riden.

In one of the strangest twists in this story, the one-time hostage lambasted police and said nothing but good things about his friend and captor.

But then Riden told Channel 2’s Richard Elliot Jamie Hood basically confessed to killing officer Buddy Christian as revenge for the police related shooting death of his brother Timothy ten years ago.

“The law enforcement killed his brother back in the day and he said he just wanted to show them how to lose one. But he didn’t mean no harm to that officer he killed. But he said the police killed his brother and he feel that same way, so he understands how they feel, so he want them to feel that he feel that way, so they just equal,” said Riden.

Riden said nothing but support for his friend, even after police said Hood threatened to kill him and his family.

“He’s a very good person. I’m glad he freed my children up, so i can’t say he’s no bad guy period. Jamie’s a good guy,” said Riden.

Hood was taken to the Clarke County Jail.

Channel 2 Action News learned Saturday morning Hood had been transferred to the Hall County Jail.

The visitation for officer Buddy Christian will be held Saturday night at 4 p.m. at Bernstein Funeral Home in Athens.

The funeral service will be Sunday at 2 p.m at the Classic Center on North Thomas Street in Athens. The procession will travel west on Broad Street to Evergreen Memorial Park on Atlanta Highway. Citizens are asked to line the roadway from downtown to the cemetery in honor of Christian.

A Memorial Fund for Christian has been set up at Athens First Bank.

Donations may be dropped off at any branch of Athens First Bank, or you may mail a donation to: Athens First Bank, 150 West Hancock Ave., Athens, GA 30601, with a notation that it is for the fund.

Christian is survived by his wife, son, daughter, parents and one brother.