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Gunman, police in standoff downtown
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SAVANNAH — A gunman has barricaded himself inside the Olde Pink House, prompting authorities to close some areas of the city's downtown historic district Thursday morning, police said.

A SWAT team had surrounded the Olde Pink House restaurant with an armed suspect inside, said Gena Sullivan, a Savannah-Chatham County police spokeswoman. According to local news media, reports of the suspect having any hostages are untrue.

Sullivan had no other details and said she did not know what started the standoff.

As of around 9 a.m., Broughton Street was closed from Whitaker to Drayton.

The Savannah College of Art and Design, which has buildings in the area, sent an alert to the entire campus, school spokeswoman Patricia Roche said. School administrators advised anyone in the area to stay inside and urged everyone else to avoid the area.

Police closed Reynolds Square, where the restaurant is located, and nearby Johnson Square as well as surrounding streets. At least two ambulances have responded.

The Olde Pink House restaurant, an 18th-century mansion noticeable for its pink stucco exterior, is nestled on Reynolds Square, one of the many picturesque squares throughout Savannah's historic district.

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