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GBI identifies suspect fatally shot after attacking Roswell officer with blunt object

It happened inside of a gas station, the GBI said.

ROSWELL, Ga. -- A police officer shot and killed a man who attacked him with a blunt object inside a Roswell gas station Thursday morning, authorities said.

According to Roswell police, the officer was at the Shell gas station at 890 Atlanta Street around 8:30 a.m. While inside the store, the officer saw the cashier in a confrontation with a man who allegedly didn't pay for an item, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

"The officer just happened to be there at the right time," said Interim Roswell Police Chief Helen Dunkin. "He tried to intervene and he was subsequently attacked."

The man, who was later identified as 47-year-old Olivio Sandoval Diaz, attacked the officer with a "large unknown blunt object", the GBI said.

The officer used his taser to try to stop the suspect, but was unsuccessful, according to GBI spokesperson Nelly Miles. 

He continued to attack the officer with the blunt object. The officer took out his weapon and fired, investigators said. 

The suspect was taken to the hospital, where he later died, Miles said.

The officer was transported to the hospital with injuries to his arm, the GBI said.

The store owner said his employee called and made him aware of the situation. He told 11Alive his employee saw the man hitting the officer with what looked like a stick. 

The investigation is ongoing.

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