Atlanta’s midnight traffic came to a screeching halt Thursday as shocked motorists witnessed a man run onto I-75 with police in hot pursuit.
For five hours, the southbound lanes near Cleveland Avenue remained closed as officers unsuccessfully tried to calm the man, who they said had just stabbed someone aboard a Greyhound bus.
The 39-year-old from Maryland, identified by the GBI as Robert McVay, had boarded the Greyhound bus in Atlanta and was headed to Florida, officials said. Over the course of five to six minutes, the already chaotic situation escalated to five officers opening fire, killing the man shortly after 1 a.m., Atlanta police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters at a news conference.
The stabbing victim had a cut to his hand and was treated at the scene before reboarding the bus, Schierbaum said.
When police first reached the bus around 1:05 a.m., it was stopped on the shoulder of the interstate, according to the GBI, which is investigating the shooting. McVay’s erratic behavior continued, as he began running through traffic, Schierbaum said. Some commuters had to stop as the scene unfolded.
“What then played out was a protracted effort to de-escalate the situation,” he said. “Officers were using verbal commands. They attempted multiple less-lethal options, including Taser and pepper spray.”
As officers continued their efforts, Schierbaum said McVay went into the middle of the interstate, still armed with the knife as people drove by.
“This was a very dangerous situation,” he said.
The chief said he reviewed video footage that showed the officers putting themselves in danger as some motorists continued to drive by. He said officers tried to disarm McVay, “who, at any moment, could have opened the door of the vehicles that were stopped at that location.”
Eventually, McVay went onto the access ramp to Ga. 166 and “began to move toward the officers” in what Schierbaum described as an “aggressive manner.”
That is when five officers discharged their weapons, he said. They then rendered aid to McVay, who was later pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital.
“We do want to extend, this morning, our condolences to the family that will be learning this news shortly,” Schierbaum said. “This is never the outcome the Atlanta Police Department wants. We want there to be safe and peaceful resolutions to all these encounters, and I think the actions of the officers, from the time they were dispatched until weapons had to be discharged, shows that that’s just not their desire, either.”
Throughout the closure, traffic had been diverted onto I-85 until about 6 a.m., according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
Investigators are reviewing videos taken by passengers aboard the bus. They continued their trip to Florida after giving statements to investigators, Schierbaum said.
No other passengers or commuters on the interstate were injured.
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