Woman finds police shooting suspect bleeding on her back porch

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Witnesses say the suspect has been arrested hours after police say he fired shots at an officer in a Cobb County neighborhood.

No officers were hurt in the shooting. The shooting happened along Davis Drive and Janet Lane in Austell Monday night.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the suspect as Melchizedek Woodward.

Police were able to find Woodward when a neighbor found him bleeding on her back porch.

"Oh man, I was scared. I was like, 'What are you doing on our porch?'" Willie Ruth Smith told Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach.

[INTERACTIVE MAP: Shootings involving Georgia law enforcement for 2019]

Smith didn't know how long Woodward had been there and she didn't see a gun. But Woodward pleaded to her that he didn't want to go to the hospital because police would lock him up.

"He said I’m going to be honest with you ma'am, I did something very bad last night and I can not go to no hospital," Smith said. Woodward asked her to call his mother, but she dialed 911 instead.

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Police told Channel 2 Action News that the manhunt started when an officer was going to question the suspect about a previous incident.

“He actually recognized the suspect and was attempting to interrogate him or question him about a previous incident when the suspect pulled a gun and fired on him,” said Sgt. Wayne Delk.

That's when officers and SWAT stormed the neighborhood.

One homeowner tried to get to home to his family after getting off from work, but police wouldn't allow him to go home.

“They don't want to take the risk if us walking in and getting shot,” Anthony Quintero said.

SWAT officers cleared the scene after finding the home empty, and residents were able to return to their homes.

A witness said he saw officers take down the suspect outside of his business. He was taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds.

Cox Media Group