BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia District Attorney has already cleared deputies involved in a shooting on Tuesday after looking at existing evidence.
The GBI reported that the shooting happened on Parks Mill road between County Line Auburn Road and Country Living Lane.
"A Barrow County deputy on routine patrol attempted to stop a black pickup truck for failure to maintain its lane," GBI Special Agent-in-Charge Mike Ayers said.
But the driver refused to stop leading officers on a 16-mile low-speed chase between Barrow and Gwinnett counties.
Deputies ultimately used a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver to bring the chase to an end with the truck ultimately crashing into a nearby woodline.
"My neighbor and I were standing outside and we saw the chopper and we heard it," Melissa Larrison said. "It was literally right above our house."
In fact, it happened just a few hundred feet away.
"They turned right at the stop sign and one of the cops PIT maneuvered him perfect, spun him around," Larrison said.
The preliminary investigation suggests that after the crash, someone fired shots from inside the truck and deputies then returned fire.
Two people in the truck were hit by the return fire and hospitalized. Though their condition hasn't been released officials believe their injuries were not life-threatening. The deputies involved in the shooting have returned to the sheriff's office for an interview with GBI agents.
The sheriff said the deputy involved in the shooting did a great job.
"I can't compliment him enough on what he did," Sheriff Jud Smith said. "The patience he had. He was very calm on the radio. Our deputies were patient getting here."
District Attorney Brad Smith appears to agree. According to Agent Ayers, Smith cleared the deputies involved after watching dashcam video that shows the driver of the suspect vehicle firing eight to 10 shots at deputies through the windshield. Officials hope to release the video on Wednesday.
No law enforcement officers were injured in the crossfire though aggravated assault charges could be pending against the people in the car. It's unclear right now if the driver will be the only passenger facing charges.
