HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Editor's note: The story above is from a previous report.
The Hall County Sheriff's Office is shedding new details on why a deputy shot an unarmed motorcyclist during a traffic stop earlier this week.
In an update released Friday, the sheriff's office explained how a traffic stop on Sept. 3 along McEver Road in Buford ended with the deputy firing their weapon.
Authorities said the deputy was trying to pull over a 37-year-old Buford man who was speeding and lost control of his motorcycle while trying to drive away from the deputy.
"During the course of the traffic stop, the suspect wrecked his motorcycle and tried to leave the scene," the news release read, with authorities adding "the suspect made several furtive actions during the encounter."
The man seemed to have reached for something by his waistband while kneeling by his motorcycle before walking away and turning his back on the deputy, according to the sheriff's office. The entire time, he refused to comply with the deputy's commands to show his hands.
"At one point, the suspect abruptly turned to face the deputy while rapidly extending his arms. The suspect appeared to have a black object in his hand as he did so," the sheriff's office said.
That's when the deputy fired a single shot, striking the man in the chin. Deputies provided medical attention to the motorcyclist until first responders came to treat him. He was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
"Following the shooting, investigators determined the object that appeared to be in the suspect's hand was a black motorcycle glove he was wearing," the sheriff's office said. He did not have a weapon, according to investigators.
The deputy was not hurt.
"In this incident, the deputy reasonably believed the suspect was armed and had the intent of firing a weapon," the sheriff's office said. "Our deputies do their best to keep both the public and themselves safe. Often, they are placed in difficult and dangerous situations where they must make split-second decisions under extremely tense situations that are uncertain and rapidly evolving, without the benefit of hindsight."
The deputy has been put on administrative leave as the Georgia Bureau of Investigation takes over the case. Once their investigation is complete, the agency will turn over its findings to the Hall County District Attorney to determine if charges will be filed.