Authorities: Suspect shot after showing hostage on Facebook

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (AP) — A man who streamed himself on social media taking a woman hostage and firing on officers has been arrested after he was shot by law enforcement, authorities said.

Nathaniel Robert Meade, 42, was struck by several bullets during the six-hour ordeal that ended early Thursday and was treated and released from the hospital, investigators said.

The hostage and the officers were not hurt, authorities said.

Officers were first called after Meade came to a family member’s house in Aiken County with the woman he was holding hostage. Meade was gone by the time they arrived, but he then started broadcasting what he was doing on Facebook Live, Aiken County Sheriff’s Capt. Eric Abdullah told news outlets.

Officers searched for Meade for hours as he showed up at other locations and occasionally streamed video of himself on Facebook, investigators said.
They found Meade and his hostage at a car dealership around 10 p.m. Thursday and after a brief standoff, Meade fired at officers and they also fired, Abdullah said.

The hostage was able to get away unharmed, but authorities could not get Meade into custody until about three hours later when he turned himself in, Abdullah said.

The State Law Enforcement Division charged Meade with pointing and presenting a firearm at law enforcement. It was not known if he had a lawyer.

Aiken County deputies as well as officers from North Augusta Public Safety and the South Carolina Highway Patrol all fired on Meade, said state agents who are investigating the shooting.