An Avondale Estates police officer shot and killed a man after a struggle in the woods behind a church Friday afternoon.
An employee of Avondale Pattillo United Methodist Church, located at 3260 Covington Highway, noticed a man acting strange and told the officer, who was in the church parking lot for a separate traffic incident, John Bankhead with the GBI told the AJC. The GBI is assisting with the investigation.
The officer attempted to talk to the man, who ran into woods behind the church, and the officer followed. When the officer believed the man was reaching for a gun, the officer shot the man, who was pronounced dead upon arrival at Grady Memorial Hospital. Investigators later found the man's .38 caliber revolver, wallet and hat.
The officer, whose name has not been released, has been a member of the Avondale Police Department for two and a half years, police said. He was taken to DeKalb Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries and released.
The victim's name has not yet been released. He was shot more than once, Pat Bailey, director of the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office, told the AJC.
The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office was also investigating the incident, Bankhead said. The officer has been placed on administrative leave during the investigation.
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