DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — Neighbors in a Douglas County neighborhood say they are relieved that authorities captured a man investigators say opened fire on a Haralson County sheriff’s deputy Tuesday.
Deputies said Zachary Ryan Lord, who just got out of a Georgia prison, was wanted on felony charges and was considered armed and dangerous.
Police say the shooting happened this morning in Haralson County. Lord then took off into Carroll County, where deputies began chasing him. They then found his car off Downs Road in Douglas County.
From NewsChopper 2 you could see patrol cars lining the road and deputies going in and out of subdivisions in the search area.
Neighbors spent most of Tuesday anxiously hoping the wanted man in the area would be caught soon.
“I knew that something was going on in the area, I just didn’t know it was right here,” neighbor Daniel Kline said.
Police car after police car surrounded homes off Highway 5 while they searched for Lord.
“He’s driving, leaning back into the window, shooting at the officer, the officer never fired a shot, never had an opportunity,” Haralson County Sheriff Eddie Mixon said.
During the search, four nearby schools were placed on lockdown.
Parents rushed to Fairplay Middle School to pick up their children and to find out what was going on.
Cars lined up for a mile parents trying to get their kids from DVille schools. Lockdown since 2pm. 4 schools. pic.twitter.com/6EGeMcK81C
— Liz Artz Hayes (@LizArtzWSB) May 10, 2016
“It just was very unnerving to have all your kids on lockdown and you couldn’t get to them,” parent Kim Crittle-Guthrie said.
At around 6 p.m., a tip from a little girl lead officers to Lord and armed officers swarmed to take him into custody.
“She was real scared and said that she saw the guy and he was down at the lake,” Miller said.
By 6:30 p.m., police say the suspect was in custody and then taken to a local hospital for his own safety.
“He's scratched up a little bit and I wouldn’t doubt it if he was high on something,” Miller said.
Douglas County Sheriff Phil Miller said he expects to have a team back in the neighborhood Wednesday to look for a weapon that Lord may have thrown out. They don't want a child to find it and possibly use it.
Lord faces multiple charges in several different counties.
Cox Media Group
