COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — Editor's note: The video above is from previous coverage of the case.
A 25-year-old from Alabama was found guilty by a Georgia county jury on Friday after leading law enforcement on a chase that resulted in a deadly 2021 shooting, according to a release from the district attorney's office in Coweta County.
Aaron Jajuan Shelton, from Birmingham, Alabama, was convicted of multiple charges, including multiple counts of,
- Felony Murder
- Aggravated Assault on Law Enforcement Officers
- Aggravated Battery on Law Enforcement Officers
- Felony Fleeing and Attempting to Elude
- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and others.
Court documents showed that on April 12, 2021, Georgia State Patrol Trooper Zack Pruitt initiated a traffic stop on Shelton's vehicle, driving at 111 mph on Interstate 20. Shelton, accompanied by his cousin Pier Shelton, attempted to flee. Pier Shelton fired shots at Trooper Pruitt from the passenger window using what documents described as an AK-47-style rifle. Local law enforcement agencies responded, and a subsequent chase ensued.
The high-speed chase involved multiple law enforcement agencies, during which Pier Shelton continued to fire at officers. Sgt. Holloway of the Carrollton Police Department was struck in the head, causing him to crash into a utility pole. Officers rendered aid while the pursuit continued.
The suspects eventually crashed their vehicle near Ithica Elementary School in Villa Rica and fled on foot. Officer Chase Gordy was fired upon and injured, while Deputy Jay Repetto was also struck but later released from the hospital. Pier Shelton was killed during the confrontation, and the GSP's SWAT team apprehended Aaron Shelton.
Aaron Shelton faced 22 counts, including three counts of felony murder. The jury rejected his claim of coercion by his cousin, Pier Shelton, and found him willingly involved in the crimes committed during the incident.
Aaron Shelton's sentencing is scheduled for July 13, 2023.