FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgie Bureau of investigation has taken over the case of a deadly officer-involved shooting that killed a man suspected of stealing two cars and committing a home invasion.
Authorities believe this suspect's violent behavior across three different crime scenes gave them no choice but to open fire.
Police cars lined a Fayette County neighborhood early Tuesday morning as they dealt with the man they said was armed and combative.
Officers from multiple agencies returned fire and killed the man after they say he wrecked a stolen car.
“The subject crashed exited the vehicle and began firing upon the officers and that point officers returned fire,” GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said.
Before officers swarmed Collinsworth Road in Tyrone, the Coweta County Sheriff's Office said the suspect crashed on Interstate 85 and ran away at around 10 p.m.
“There was a caution added to the lookout of the vehicle that this occupant was also armed with firearms and ammunition,” Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager said.
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A couple of hours later, the GBI said the same man committed a home invasion while the homeowner shot at him.
“The individual was going there to steal another car,” Miles said.
Authorities from Coweta County, Tyrone police, the Georgia State Patrol helped with a roadblock at the near the Fayette/Coweta county lines.
It's there where the suspect crashed the second stolen car and that's when the GBI said officers from three agencies returned fire.
“With having multiple agencies involved, it’s not exactly clear who fired all the shots,” Miles said.
Authorities said the suspect had a criminal history and the Coweta County Sheriff said his deputies had no choice, but to shoot him.
“We're at a day in a time when if you chose to shoot at police we're going to shoot back,” Yeager said.
The GBI is currently performing an autopsy on the suspect for an official cause of death. No officers were injured in the incident. So far, police have not released the identity of the suspect.
Cox Media Group
