DECATUR, Ga. -- Friday morning's double officer shooting echos of a similar, more deadly incident, near the same road in 2008.
This morning, the two DeKalb County police officers were transported to Atlanta Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. One suspect was shot, and is under police watch in critical condition at Grady Memorial Hospital. Police shut down roads in the area and schools went into lockdown as they searched for a second suspected they called "armed and dangerous".
Friday's shooting happened at the Colony Ridge Apartments, just off Glenwood Road. That apartment complex backs up to Austin Oaks Apartments, also just off Glenwood Road.
In 2008, that complex was called the Glenwood Garden Apartments. On Wednesday, January 16, 2008 DeKalb County police officers Eric Cecil Barker Sr. and Ricky Bryant Jr. were working security while off-duty at the 176-unit complex.
They received a report of a suspicious person on Glenwood Road. When they arrived, the suspect was able to gain control of their weapons and shot both officers. A tow truck driver who drove up to the scene called 911 10 minutes later. Both officers died.
The suspect, William Woodard, was taken into custody several days later after a massive manhunt. Woodward was turned in by his girlfriend. He was charged with two counts of felony murder and possession of a gun by a convicted felon.
He went to trial just two years ago. On October 12th, 2012, he was sentenced to life in prison.
According to a fallen officer memorial page, Barker was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the DeKalb County Police Department for 4 years. He is survived by his wife and four children. Officer Bryant was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the DeKalb County Police Department for two years. He is survived by his wife and four children.
