ATHENS, Ga. — A community is asking questions after several people saw police shoot a man outside an Athens gas station Sunday morning.
Marquavious Sims, 26, died at the hospital.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation is in charge of gathering evidence that that Athens-Clarke County District Attorney’s Office will use to determine if the shooting was justified or if the officers used excessive force.
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Sims sisters, fiancée and mother spoke to Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco less than 24 hours after the shooting.
They said they had high hopes for Sims. One of his sisters said she was there with him when police shot him.
It happened before 1:30 in the morning. People were talking in a parking lot near Sundown Saloon.
“The club is here. So, people be, like, all over. Ss, like, people just be walking around different spots just mingling and stuff like that,” said Ivory Brown.
GBI said someone in the area called 911 and said a man got a machine gun out and was waving it around.
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“Once the police were here they was asking him to put the gun down, and he would not. He kept walking away,” said Brown.
GBI said officers chased Sims from a nearby Verizon parking lot, across the street to a QT gas station parking lot. At one point, agents accuse Sims of shooting at the officers. GBI said two officers shot back, hitting Sims multiple times.
Sims’ family and friends who said they saw it questioned the officers’ recollection Sunday night.
“It was sad seeing someone being killed,” said Brown. “That is hard. Someone you know from around the way. That is hard.”
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Family said they are hoping to view police body and dash camera video this week.
Athens-Clarke County Police Department said this is the second shooting involving one of their officers this year.
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