Police in Georgia say that when a gunman took four firefighters hostage in his home, they tried to buy time and create a rapport by meeting his initial demands.

But they said that when 55-year-old Lauren Brown's demands became unreasonable and negotiations were going nowhere, officers stormed the house and killed him after he fired on them.

Authorities on Thursday provided new details on Wednesday's hostage-taking north of Atlanta.

They said Brown told his hostages he had spent weeks planning the ambush and targeted firefighters rather than police officers so he wouldn't be shot. Investigators also found half a dozen guns in his house.

Some who knew Brown said he'd suffered from disabling medical problems and was struggling financially.

Tags: Gwinnett County, gunman, hostage standoff, firefighters