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Man killed after undercover operation unfolds in Cherokee County Walmart parking lot, deputies say

This is a developing story.

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — One person died after a chain of events unfolded in an undercover operation Monday evening. Cherokee County deputies said the suspect was shot by law enforcement in a Walmart parking lot and then he crashed his vehicle a short time later.

This all started at the Walmart located on Holly Springs Parkway at I-575. According to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, agents with the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad were conducting an undercover operation in the parking lot around 7:30 p.m.

A man who was suspected of trafficking heroin and fentanyl came to the location but tried to leave when agents attempted to arrest him. As he tried to escape law enforcement, the suspect allegedly drove towards agents and rammed one of their vehicles. They fired at the suspect, wounding him, the sheriff's office said. 

"The suspect, who had been shot, fled north on Hwy. 5 and struck a guard rail before traveling down the exit ramp from I-575 in the wrong direction and struck two vehicles. The drivers of the other vehicles were not injured," the sheriff's office said in a news release. 

The suspect was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries, they said.

Cherokee County Sheriff Captain Jay Baker said no officers or civilians were injured during the incident. 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called to investigate the shooting. The GBI Medical Examiner's office will perform an autopsy.  Once the GBI's investigation is complete, the case will be given to the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.

This is the first shooting involving CMANS agents since 1993, Cherokee County deputies added. 

The GBI said this is the 60th police shooting they've been requested to investigate in 2022. The agency had been asked to look into 41 shootings involving law enforcement by this time last year. 

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