A man who fired at police officers during a standoff that terrorized his east Cobb County neighborhood in 2020 was sentenced to 18 years in prison, the district attorney said Tuesday.
Donald Terry Welborn Jr., 60, pleaded guilty to nine counts of aggravated assault on police officers, three counts of aggravated assault on civilians and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to the Cobb DA’s office. Welborn was sentenced to 30 years, with 18 to serve behind bars.
On Sept. 22, 2020, police said officers were called to Welborn’s home in the 7200 block of Kingsley Drive at around 5:30 a.m. after a neighbor reported hearing gunfire. The Newcastle subdivision was placed on lockdown while negotiators worked to resolve the situation.
Officers spoke with Welborn’s wife and daughter, who said he was intoxicated and shot at the ceiling and ceiling fan, according to investigators. The wife and daughter were able to escape the home unharmed.
Welborn initially refused to come out of the home and threatened to start shooting at the officers if he was not left alone. He then began to shoot at officers with multiple firearms over a short period of time, police previously said.
“Officers had to duck behind vehicles as projectiles whizzed by their heads, striking treetops, the asphalt roadway and houses,” the DA’s office said in a statement.
Welborn surrendered to the SWAT team and was arrested at the scene. Superior Court records show Welborn’s wife of 26 years filed for divorce hours after the incident started. The divorce case remained open Tuesday, court records show.
No injuries were reported. But one family reported hiding in a closet during the ordeal, the DA’s office said. One bullet hit their living room aquarium, killing the fish and flooding the home.
“In total, detectives located 68 spent shell casings of various calibers, 32 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition,” the DA’s office said.
Welborn has been held in the Cobb jail since his arrest, court and jail records show.
About the Author
