Bengie Clift isn’t accustomed to good endings.
As a trained negotiator for the LaFayette Police Department, Clift is used to emergency calls coming after a fight or an outburst of rage.
Tuesday night, authorities got a call that local resident Freddie Lowe had a gun to his ex-wife’s head, said Clift, who is also the department’s assistant chief. Lowe threatened to kill his wife — whom authorities don’t want to name — and his 17-year-old son and then turn the gun on himself, Clift said.
Arriving at the house off Wind Song Road about 11:30 p.m., Clift spent about 90 minutes convincing Lowe to give his ex-wife the gun and walk out the front door and into the arms of the Walker County SWAT team clustered near the lawn.
Lowe came out a little after 1 a.m. and was arrested, Clift said.