A man was killed Saturday morning after being pulled over by police in Snellville, officials said.
The Hyundai Tucson was stopped along West Main Street near Fountain Drive around 4 a.m. due to the driver, identified as 36-year-old Rashawn Johnson, not having his headlights on, the GBI stated. During the traffic stop, the man rolled down his window “slightly” and repeated to the officer that he wanted to call his mother, according to the agency.
The officer was able to get Johnson’s identification, return to his patrol car and call for additional officers to respond to the scene.
When the officer returned to the Hyundai, the GBI said Johnson refused to roll down the window and comply with the officer’s commands to get out of the vehicle. The officer then told Johnson he was under arrest for obstruction after refusing to get out of the car, the agency confirmed.
When the officer opened the car door, he noticed a weapon in Johnson’s hand and proceeded to tell him to drop the weapon, according to the GBI.
“Johnson fired his weapon and officers returned fire, hitting Johnson and killing him,” the GBI said.
The state agency did not say if Johnson fired the weapon at officers. Snellville police previously said Johnson pointed the firearm at his head.
No officers were injured during the encounter.
It was one of three officer-involved shooting the GBI was asked to investigate Saturday morning and the 16th this year.
At around 1 a.m., the GBI said a man, identified as 34-year-old Martin Candelas Ponce, was shot by police at a Roswell sports bar after multiple 911 calls were made about him pointing a firearm. Ponce remains in critical condition.
About two hours later, officials said Marcus Andrew Eaddy, 29, was injured in a shootout with Haralson County and St. Clair County (Ala.) Sheriff’s deputies on the eastbound lanes of I-20 in Tallapoosa. Eaddy fired an “AR style” rifle in Alabama around 3 a.m. and led several law enforcement agencies on a chase into Georgia, the GBI stated.
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