GBI identifies suspect shot, killed during shootout with Athens-Clarke police at Quik Trip

ATHENS, Ga. — The Athens-Clarke County Police Department says a man is dead after a shootout early Sunday morning.

Police said around 1:20 a.m., officers responded to the area of Lexington Road and Gaines School Road after getting reports of a man with a gun. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called to investigate the incident Sunday morning.

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The GBI said the incident started when reports came in to Athens-Clarke police about a man walking around “waving” a “machine gun.”

The officers arrived at the scene, near a Verizon store, and found 26-year-old Marquavious Sims armed.

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The GBI said Sims ran across the road to a Quik Trip gas station parking lot and officers chased him, repeatedly telling him to drop the gun.

Instead, the GBI said Sims turned and fired at the officers.

Police said at least two officers fired back, hitting Sims multiple times. Officers then provided emergency medical assistance until EMTs got to their location, and took him to a hospital.

Athens-Clarke police said the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.

Sims later died from his injuries, the GBI and ACCPD said. No officers were injured in the shootout.

Sims’ body will be taken to the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur for an autopsy and the agency will continue its independent investigation.

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