Off-duty Rockdale deputy fatally shoots armed suspect in Newton, GBI says

The GBI is investigating the officer-involved shooting, which happened on Salem Glen Way around 2 p.m.

Credit: GBI

Credit: GBI

The GBI is investigating the officer-involved shooting, which happened on Salem Glen Way around 2 p.m.

An off-duty Rockdale County sheriff’s deputy fatally shot an armed man Saturday afternoon at an apartment complex in neighboring Newton County, officials said.

Newton deputies responded to reports of a shooting at the Salem Glen Apartments on Salem Glen Way around 2 p.m., the GBI said. The complex is near the border between Newton and Rockdale counties.

The preliminary investigation revealed that 20-year-old Ivan Felton, of Covington, was chasing and shooting at a resident at the complex, and an off-duty Rockdale deputy returned fire, according to the state agency. Felton was pronounced dead at the scene. No members of law enforcement were injured during the incident.

The Rockdale deputy also was not immediately identified. Newton sheriff’s office spokeswoman Caitlin Jett did not say why the deputy was in the area.

The GBI has been requested to investigate the officer-involved shooting. Once completed, the case file will be given to the Newton County District Attorney’s Office for review.

It was the 64th such incident the GBI was requested to investigate this year and one of two in metro Atlanta on Saturday. At this point last year, the state agency had opened investigations into 67 police shootings.

At about 6:15 p.m., a 41-year-old man was shot by officers who were called to check on him at a Clarkesville apartment complex. According to the GBI, Aaron Allen Patterson, who was seen holding a rifle, turned toward officers with the weapon and was shot several times. Clarkesville is in northeast Georgia.

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