Armed man fatally shot by DeKalb deputies during eviction, GBI says
An armed man was fatally shot Thursday as officials tried to evict and arrest him at a DeKalb County home, authorities said.
Sheriff’s office deputies arrived at the house in the 1900 block of Young Road around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to serve a “court-ordered eviction,” law enforcement said. The area is off Panola Road and near Redan Middle School.
The evictee, identified by the GBI as 49-year-old Jared Toombs, opened the door and quickly “slammed” it shut, the state agency said. Deputies then surrounded the house and tried to get Toombs to surrender.
When deputies tried to enter the residence, the GBI said Toombs fired a weapon at officials.
No deputies were injured, and an arrest and search warrant were obtained at that point, the GBI confirmed.
The sheriff’s office also made the decision to ask the DeKalb police department’s SWAT team for assistance.
With the SWAT team at the scene, officers attempted to negotiate with Toombs, but authorities said he did not surrender. The GBI said tear gas was then deployed, but that failed to get Toombs into custody.
At some point, authorities said SWAT officers entered the home and continued using tear gas and negotiating with Toombs. Those negotiations carried over into Thursday morning.
When deputies went into the house, the GBI said Toombs reached for a gun and deputies shot him. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he died.
The GBI is investigating the shooting and will turn over any findings to the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office for review.
As of Thursday afternoon, the incident marked the fifth recorded officer-involved shooting the GBI has been asked to investigate this year.
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