An east Georgia man had been out of prison about a month before he was involved in a domestic incident that ended with him being fatally shot by a deputy, records show.
Freddrick Andrews Hadden Jr., 45, finished his sixth stint in prison July 2 for a 2014 conviction on charges of family violence battery, child cruelty, criminal trespass and theft by taking, according to Georgia Department of Corrections records.
On Saturday, he allegedly threatened, kidnapped and shot a woman before dying in a shootout with a Burke County deputy, AJC.com previously reported. On Monday, the Augusta Chronicle reported the woman was his ex-wife, and her son called 911 Saturday after the armed kidnapping happened in Hephzibah.
RELATED: Cops: Kidnapper shot woman twice before he was killed by east Georgia deputy
She was the same person he was convicted of attacking June 22, 2014, netting him the 5-year prison sentence he just completed, the newspaper reported. According to authorities, Hadden punched her, knocked her down and dragged her by her hair into the kitchen. The incident left the woman with a black eye and bruises.
Hadden also bit his 18-year-old son during the attack, which took place in front of his 12-year-old son, the Chronicle reported.
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
The woman divorced him in 2009, and Hadden repeatedly failed to pay child support before and after the divorce, according to court records obtained by the newspaper.
When he was released from Hancock State Prison last month, he was supposed to serve eight years of probation, which required him to not have any contact with his ex-wife, the Chronicle reported.
About 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Burke County sheriff’s Deputy Eric Madison spotted Hadden’s burgundy Toyota Camry and followed him to a driveway at the corner of Farmer’s Bridge and Springhill Church roads. The woman tried to run away and hide behind the deputy’s patrol car, but Hadden shot her twice, the sheriff’s office said.
The patrol car also was hit by gunfire, but the deputy was not struck. Madison returned fire, shooting and killing Hadden. The sheriff’s office provided the Chronicle with Madison’s bodycam footage of the shootout.
District Attorney Natalie Paine cleared the deputy of any wrongdoing, saying the shooting was “absolutely” justified in her letter to Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams, the Chronicle reported.
Credit: Burke County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Burke County Sheriff's Office
“Hadden fired two shots at the victim, striking her both times, and undoubtedly would have continued to shoot her but for the heroic actions of (Madison),” Paine’s letter continued.
The woman is now at Augusta University Medical Center, where she is stable.
In addition to his 2014 conviction, Hadden had served five other sentences in Georgia since 1993, GDC records show. His past convictions include terroristic threats, attempted aggravated assault and obstruction among other charges in Burke, Putnam and Richmond counties.
In other news:
About the Author
