A northeast Georgia sheriff’s deputy was shot early Friday morning in a struggle over the deputy’s gun with a man who had been pulled over, the GBI said. Though the suspect did not take the weapon, he left the scene in Towns County and remains at large.
The deputy was taken to a hospital in metro Atlanta with injuries not considered life-threatening, the GBI said. He was later identified as Austin Bradburn by the Towns sheriff’s office.
Officials did not provide specifics about Bradburn’s injuries, but a GoFundMe page set up on his behalf said he is not expected to return to work soon. According to the fundraising page, Bradburn’s recovery period is uncertain and donations will help pay expenses beyond those covered by insurance.
According to the GBI, the suspect was driving a silver, four-door Honda sedan from about 2010 with no license plate. Bradburn pulled the car over due to its missing license plate just after 2 a.m. on Plott Town Road in Young Harris, the state agency said.
The driver immediately pulled over, got out of his car and walked toward the deputy, the GBI said. The man did not obey Bradburn’s commands as he approached, so the deputy tried to stun him with a Taser. It was ineffective, according to the GBI, and the man began struggling with Bradburn over the gun. That led to the deputy being shot, the state agency said.
Law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, but the suspect had already driven away.
Towns is one of Georgia’s northernmost counties; Plott Town Road is just off U.S. 76 and less than six miles from the North Carolina border. The mountainous area is in the Chattahoochee National Forest and is heavily wooded.
The GBI, which is actively investigating this case at the request of the Towns County Sheriff’s Office, has asked for help from the public in identifying the suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to contact 911 in Towns County or the GBI tip line at 800-597-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be left online by visiting gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online or on the See Something, Say Something mobile app.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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