The GBI was asked to investigate a police shooting in a Midtown parking lot Saturday after an Atlanta officer opened fire on a vehicle that reportedly drove toward him.
Police don’t believe anyone was shot during the incident, but the officer who fired his gun suffered minor injuries after being struck by the fleeing vehicle, Atlanta police spokesman Officer Steve Avery told AJC.com. He was treated at the scene and is expected to be OK.
The incident began about 3 p.m. when officers responded to an attempted vehicle theft on Pharr Road in Buckhead, according to police.
“A description of the suspect vehicle was given out over the radio and several officers located the vehicle near 13th Street and Crescent Avenue,” he said.
Authorities said the car pulled into a parking lot and was followed by police.
“Upon seeing the marked patrol vehicle, the suspect vehicle fled from the lot, driving at several officers who were on foot,” Avery said. “One officer discharged his weapon several times and it appears that officer and his nearby vehicle were struck by the (suspect’s car).”
According to police, the vehicle was abandoned near Williams and 10th streets. Authorities believe the car belonged to the suspect and was not stolen during the earlier attempted theft. It’s unclear if any other suspects were inside the car during the chase and shooting.
The GBI was called in to investigate the incident, making it the 66th police shooting the agency has investigated this year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also tracks police shootings that don’t involve the GBI, and those numbers sometimes differ from the GBI’s tally.
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