A Clayton County officer shot and killed a 19-year-old suspected of driving a stolen car and trying to evade police Monday, state officials said.
Eric Holmes was shot by a Clayton officer as he tried to drive away, the GBI said in a news release. The Stone Mountain man was taken to Southern Regional Medical Center, where he died.
The incident began just before 11:40 a.m. when an officer was investigating reports of a stolen car in the parking lot of a building materials warehouse at the intersection of Jonesboro and Commerce roads, the GBI said. The officer confirmed that the car had been stolen, and as he continued working the scene, Holmes approached him and started a conversation, the GBI said.
Holmes “gave no indication of his connection to the stolen vehicle” while speaking to the officer, the state agency said.
Holmes abruptly broke off the conversation, according to the release, then got in the car and tried to drive off. The officer commanded Holmes multiple times to stop, and when he didn’t, the officer fired multiple shots, according to the GBI. Holmes was still able to get away but he was injured in the process.
The officer got into his patrol car and pursued Holmes, calling for backup along the way, the GBI said. About a quarter-mile from the initial location, Holmes crashed into a ditch, officials said.
The officer removed Holmes from the car, placed him under arrest and began performing first aid until emergency medical personnel arrived, the release said.
Two handguns were recovered from the car Holmes was driving, the GBI said.
This is the 105th police shooting the GBI has investigated this year. It was also the second major incident involving law enforcement to happen Monday in Clayton.
After a SWAT standoff that lasted nearly 20 hours, a man wanted out of Louisiana who was described as “armed and dangerous” briefly broke the police perimeter encircling his home before being arrested around midday, police said. Jeremiah Rose, 41, triggered a short shelter-in-place order before he was taken into custody.
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