A man was shot and killed by police Thursday morning during a narcotics raid at a Cobb County apartment complex, officials said.
The shooting occurred about 4:40 a.m. as members of the Marietta Cobb Smyrna Organized Crime Task Force and the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team executed a no-knock search warrant at the Concord Chase Apartments near Smyrna, GBI spokeswoman Natalie Ammons said.
“During entry into the residence, a SWAT team member discharged his firearm and an occupant of the apartment was struck,” she said in a news release.
The man who was shot, 49-year-old Johnny Bolton of Austell, was taken to Wellstar Cobb Hospital and pronounced dead. It’s unclear if the SWAT team member fired his gun intentionally, authorities said, adding that part of the investigation is still ongoing. GBI officials did not specify whether Bolton had a gun or not.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
No officers were injured in the incident.
GBI agents and SWAT team members remained at the apartment complex off Hurt Road for much of Thursday collecting evidence.
Bolton has been arrested previously for marijuana and cocaine possession with intention to distribute, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. He has served three stints in jail, with the most recent stay ending in 2010.
The incident marks the 92nd officer-involved shooting the GBI has been requested to investigate this year, according to the agency. There were 84 such shootings in 2019.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also tracks officer-involved shootings that don’t involve the GBI, and those numbers sometimes differ from the GBI’s tally.
Once the GBI’s investigation is complete, the state agency will turn its findings over to the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office for review.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
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