DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A 23-year-old is recovering in the hospital from being shot after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at DeKalb County Police Officers who were working to stop him from hurting himself.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, officers responded to the 800 block of Southland Point around 9 a.m. after a mother called 911, indicating her 23-year-old son was threatening to harm himself.
Resident Verna Sherwood said her husband and her have lived in the area for several years. She said she saw the man leave his home.
“I saw a young man leave his house with a rifle in his hand," Sherwood recounted.
When officers arrived, they found the man in the cul-de-sac near his home holding a shotgun to his head. Officers then attempted to communicate with him from their marked patrol units. The GBI said that the 23-year-old began walking toward the officers -- pointing the weapon at them. Two officers then fired their guns, hitting the man.
“He was given orders to drop the gun several times, but he refused; instead, he began to charge at the officers, leaving them no choice but to fire several times," Dekalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos stated.
Sherwood saw the shooting and said she was shaken by it.
“I feel like my stomach started to turn over, and my husband started to cry," she recalled. "I said, 'I hope he’s not dead,' because he’s a young guy, and I could tell he has a mental illness."
Officers provided aid to the man until emergency medical services arrived at the scene, the GBI said. He was then taken to a hospital, where he is in stable condition.
No one else was hurt in the incident, and as is customary, the officers involved were put on administrative leave. The GBI is conducting an independent investigation. Once done, the case file will be given to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office for review.
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