Five firefighters are being held at gunpoint in a house in the Georgia town of Suwanee, local media report.

The gunman, who has barricaded the house, now faces a SWAT team trying to free the Gwinnett County firefighters.

Authorities told local media that the fire department was at the residence in response to a medical call.

Law enforcement officials have requested that all media helicopters keep away from the area, purportedly for safety reasons, according to local reporter Amy Napier Viteri.

RT