Cops: Gwinnett officer shot felon in self-defense
The police officer who shot a burglary suspect near Norcross Monday morning fired in self-defense after the suspect swung a brick at his head, police said.
The bullet struck Matt Sargent, 29, in the back, but the injury was not considered life-threatening, Cpl. Edwin Ritter of the Gwinnett County Police Department said Tuesday.
Sargent is a convicted felon who police say had been arrested a dozen times in Gwinnett, twice for pointing a gun at someone.
Earlier Monday, Sargent, armed with a stick, had broken into a home nearby and taken a laptop and video camera after demanding the resident's money, Ritter said.
Then, at around 9:30 a.m., police got a call from the 5500 block of Weatherford Road about a man using a brick to smash through a house door. He'd bashed off the doorknob by the time the officer arrived.
In the ensuing struggle, the man, later identified as Sargent, swung the brick at the officer's head, and the officer drew his gun and fired once.
The officer, whose name was not released, was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
Sargent was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center and charged with obstruction, attempted burglary and auto theft. Police say they found a stolen vehicle near the crime scene and that Sargent was carrying the title in his pocket. Sargent matched the description of the man with the stick in the earlier burglary, which occurred in the 1000 block of Williamsburg Lane.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
