A man was killed during a SWAT incident Tuesday in Newton County after he opened fire on deputies who were trying to take him into custody, sending one to a hospital, according to the GBI.
Alexander Matthew Collins, 27, died when deputies returned fire during the standoff at a home in the 3400 block of Ga. 162 in Covington, the GBI said in a statement.
Collins had outstanding warrants accusing him of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and pointing a gun at someone, GBI spokeswoman Natalie Ammons said. The details of the incident that led to those charges are not clear.
Newton County deputies were sent to the home about 6:20 p.m. to arrest Collins on the warrant, but when they arrived he would not come outside.
A SWAT team was called to the area, and law enforcement began negotiating with Collins to surrender, Ammons said. Shortly before 8:30 p.m., Collins stepped out of the house.
SWAT officers tried to take Collins into custody, but the man pulled out a handgun and started shooting, authorities said. One deputy returned fire, hitting Collins, Ammons said.
Collins was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts to provide life-saving medical aid. His body was taken to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
One deputy was shot during the incident, officials said. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and later released.
The fatal incident is the 45th shooting involving a law enforcement officer the GBI has been asked to investigate this year. 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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