Fiance of man shot and killed by DeKalb County officer says he was having a mental health crisis

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The fiance of a man shot and killed by DeKalb County police during a SWAT situation Saturday told her side of the story.

LaQuanta Foreman told WSB Tonight’s Elizabeth Rawlins that her fiance, 36-year-old Jeremy Haugabook, woke her up early Saturday morning before the incident began.

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“He woke me up and asked me to go into the bathroom and lie on the floor and said someone was breaking into the house,” Foreman said. “He wanted me to remain there until it was safe for me to come out.”

According to police, Foreman’s son called 911 and told the dispatcher he believed that Haugabook would shoot her.

Once police arrived, Foreman said she realized that there was no intruder.

“I called out to Jeremy to let him know that no one was inside and that police are saying the house is secure,” Foreman said.

Foreman said she believed Haugabook was possibly having a mental health crisis and had recently been diagnosed with paranoia and bipolar disorder.

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Soon, Foreman and her son safely exited the home, but Haugabook remained inside, insisting that someone was in the house.

“I knew he was having a mental crisis, so I alerted the police and was told they don’t have a mental health specialist on the night shift,” she said.

Channel 2′s Christian Jennings was on the scene during Channel 2 Action News Saturday AM, where she saw a large police presence, including several bomb squad trucks, K-9 units, and SWAT.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said at some point during an hours-long standoff, Hauagbrook fired shots inside the home, striking a pipe and causing a leak inside.

Investigators attempted to negotiate with Haugabook, who was armed then, but they were unsuccessful. Soon, they obtained a search and arrest warrant and went inside the house.

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Officials said that Haugabook then pointed a weapon at an officer. The officer then fired back, hitting Hauagbrook.

“We do have a co-respondent program; they do not work the midnight shift. However, this situation was so volatile because the person was armed that we could not have put the clinician in that position,” Mirtha Ramos, DeKalb County Chief of Police, told Channel 2 Action News on Saturday after the standoff.

The officer who shot Haugabook was placed on administrative leave.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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