KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — An 18-year-old from Alcoa was arrested early Saturday in Knoxville after witnesses say he “snapped,” threatened to kill 3 people and discharged a handgun inside a vehicle.

Bryar Hill, 18, of Alcoa was arrested in the early hours of Oct. 30 on two counts of aggravated kidnapping. Knoxville Police said Hill and three others met up for “a night of drinking and socializing.”

The group was driving to another location when investigators say he “snapped” while in the backseat; allegedly pulling out a handgun and threatening to kill the 3 occupants if they did not drive him to where he wanted to go.

An arrest report states Hill demanded the three give him their cellphones and struck the driver in the head with the butt of the weapon while she was operating the vehicle. Hill fired one round out of the driver’s side rear window, shattering the glass.

One occupant was able to dial 911. While they were unable to speak with the 911 operator, the line was left open long enough for police to locate the vehicle. A traffic stop was conducted on Western Avenue at University Avenue and Hill was taken into custody without incident.

“We are very proud of our team members that helped facilitate the flow of information from the open line 911 call to our center,” Knox County 9-1-1 Director Brad Anders said. “The ability to recognize that something was wrong with no two-way communication on the line and to facilitate a coordinated response with KPD shows the level of skill and commitment we have in our 911 communications center.” 

Hill waived his Miranda rights and confessed to the allegations, Knoxville Police said. He has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and is set to appear in court on Jan. 4 at 9 a.m.

“I am thankful for the 9-1-1 dispatchers and our officers for their collective efforts to intervene in this situation with the very limited information that they had at hand,” Chief of Police Eve Thomas said. “There is no doubt that those efforts brought this incident to the most successful outcome possible and likely prevented a much greater tragedy.”