ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta Police say Thursday night an officer was dragged by a vehicle while making a traffic stop, and that the driver "at some point pulled out a weapon and apparently took his own life."
Alpharetta Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Howard Miller called the incident a "tragedy" and said there was no word of the officer's condition.
According to Miller, it began as a traffic stop at the exit off GA-400 onto Mansell Rd.
He said during the stop "the officer made contact with the driver and at some point during the conversation with the driver, the driver took off from the officer," who was then dragged by the vehicle.
Miller said he wasn't sure how the officer got caught in the window, or if he'd held on for some reason. A backup officer called help to the scene and went to tend to the officer after he was able to break free and fall to the ground.
"What I understand is that at some point after the violator took off from the officer, at some point he pulled out a weapon and apparently took his own life. That is under investigation," Miller said.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident. Neither the officer nor the driver have been identified.
The officer was being treated at a hospital as of late Thursday, according to Miller.
"Don't know the extent of his injuries, we're hoping that he's okay," Miller said.