A Cobb County SWAT team member shot and killed a man police said was spotted on the balcony of an apartment with a bound hostage Monday morning.
The hostage was rescued after the nearly four-hour standoff at the Concord Crossing Apartments near Smyrna, Cobb police spokesman Sgt. Wayne Delk said. The GBI was asked to handle the investigation, the 69th officer-involved shooting the state agency has investigated this year.
Cobb police officers were called to the 2900 block of Old Concord Road around 9:45 a.m. after several 911 calls. Some said they saw an armed man, while others heard gunfire in the area, Delk said.
Ben Hendren
Ben Hendren
When authorities arrived, a man was seen throwing various items from the balcony of the apartment, he said, and another man on the balcony was bound at the wrist. As soon as the suspect spotted police, Delk said he retreated into the apartment with the hostage. At that point, Cobb’s SWAT team was called.
“During the incident, an officer discharged his weapon, striking Robert Parks, age 39, of Smyrna,” GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said in a news release. “Parks subsequently died from his injuries. Parks was armed with a gun.”
Delk confirmed that no gunfire was directed at authorities, but said a gun and knife were spotted on Parks before police fatally shot him.
Ben Hendren
Ben Hendren
The hostage was rescued around 1 p.m. and taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital with multiple injuries that occurred prior to authorities’ arrival, Delk said. The man has since been released from the hospital, according to the GBI.
The relationship between the two men was not disclosed.
During the standoff, some residents were evacuated while others took cover in their apartments.
The police shooting is the 38th investigated by the GBI this year that resulted in death. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also tracks officer-involved shootings that don’t involve the GBI, and those numbers sometimes differ from the GBI’s tally.
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