A man was shot in the leg after trying to hit a DeKalb County detective with his car Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
The detective, who was not wearing a uniform, made contact with the man while working another investigation at the Motel 6 off Lawrenceville Highway, DeKalb police Sgt. J.D. Spencer told AJC.com. He was seen getting into a vehicle reportedly connected to the investigation about 5:45 p.m.
When the detective went over to the vehicle, the man drove into a patrol car and tried to hit the detective, Spencer said. The detective fired an unknown number of gunshots at the man before he drove away on Lavista Road.
He was later identified by the GBI as James Forbes, 32, of Stone Mountain.
Several officers responded and tried to stop the fleeing vehicle, Spencer said. Forbes’ car hit three others before stopping at the Chevron gas station on Northlake Parkway. He was then arrested.
Forbes was being treated for his injuries Thursday at a hospital, according to the GBI. It’s unclear what charges he will face.
No one else involved in the incident was hurt, including DeKalb officers.
The police activity blocked all lanes of Lavista Road at Northlake Parkway, the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center reported.
The GBI is handling the officer-involved shooting investigation, its 57th such investigation opened this year. The DeKalb County shooting is one of two involving Georgia officers in the span of 24 hours.
Shortly after midnight Thursday, sheriff’s deputies in Gordon County shot a suspect in a deadly domestic dispute, according to the GBI. That man was treated and released from a hospital and is in custody on a murder charge.
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.
