An officer was grazed by a bullet and a suspect was struck multiple times during an exchange of gunfire Wednesday in South Georgia, the GBI said.
The incident began when Lanier County sheriff’s deputies responded to a home invasion on Old Stockton Road in Lakeland about 11:50 a.m., according to the state agency, which released new details on the incident Thursday.
During the home invasion, “the homeowner was shot and an unsuccessful attempt was made to steal his vehicle,” the GBI said in a news release.
The suspect, identified by the agency as 37-year-old William “Billy” Welland Jr., was driving a stolen black Audi that authorities said was tied to a homicide Tuesday in Tampa, Florida. Details about that investigation have not been released.
According to the GBI, Welland drove to Crisp School Road, entered another residence and stole a minivan. When authorities spotted him and tried to pull him over, they said he led them on a short chase before pulling behind a residence on Ga. 122 East. Gunfire was exchanged when he got out of the minivan, ran and pointed firearms at officers, the GBI said.
The officer was treated and released from South Georgia Medical Center in Lakeland. The homeowner and Welland are being treated at the hospital’s Valdosta campus.
Lanier County is about 25 miles northeast of Valdosta and approximately 230 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
The incident marks the 55th officer-involved shooting the GBI has been asked to investigate this year, agency spokeswoman Nelly Miles said.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also tracks officer-involved shootings that don’t involve the GBI, and those numbers sometimes differ from the GBI’s tally.
Anyone with information about the Lanier County officer-involved shooting is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 229-482-3545 or the GBI’s Douglas office at 912-389-4103.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
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