GBI ID’s man who was shot, killed outside home during confrontation with DeKalb cops
The GBI is investigating after a man was shot and killed by DeKalb County police Thursday afternoon, officials said.
About 3:30 p.m., officers were sent to a home in the 1300 block of Balsam Drive, the GBI said in a news release. Someone had called 911 in distress but hung up before providing an address, police Chief Mirtha Ramos said in a news conference. Investigators used the coordinates from the call to locate the home, she said.
When they arrived, a man came out of the home with a gun, she said.
“He was told to put down his firearm and he refused, causing officers to discharge their firearms,” Ramos said.
The GBI identified the man as 75-year-old John Daniel Dixon, who lived at the residence. It’s unclear how many shots were fired, but two officers were involved, according to police.
The man died at the scene, but neither officer was injured.
Another person was inside the home at the time, but it’s unclear if they were the one who called for help.
It’s the 17th officer-involved shooting investigation the GBI has opened in 2020, according to spokeswoman Nelly Miles.
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.
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About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
