New surveillance video shows the moments before an off-duty Fulton County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a 46-year-old man outside a southwest Atlanta restaurant.
Early Friday morning, the off-duty deputies working at the Ivory Restaurant in the 500 block of Whitehall Street were involved in an altercation with the victim, Norris Duffy, and his brother inside the establishment, GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said.
“During the encounter, a Taser was deployed on the subject,” Miles said. “He was released and left the restaurant.”
Soon after, Duffy was seen outside next to his SUV pulling out an assault rifle, the GBI said. The surveillance video shows the three off-duty deputies approach the two brothers moments before one of the deputies fired shots that struck Duffy.
He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he died, Miles said.
“There is no indication that the victim fired shots,” Miles said. It is not known if the man pointed the weapon at officers or someone else.
Attorney Leron Rogers, who represents the Ivory, told Channel 2 Action News that video of the weapon being pulled out of Duffy's SUV shows the danger the deputies faced.
"When you see the GBI pull an assault rifle out this big, you understand the gravity of the situation," Rogers said.
According to Duffy’s brother, the deputy shot the man in the head and continued firing several more times, Channel 2 reported.
Rogers told the news station the deputies acted appropriately given the circumstances.
"Not only did the deputies not do anything wrong, I think they acted appropriately and probably saved lives," Rogers said.
