Suicide standoff ends in death
A man threatening suicide was shot and killed Thursday following a standoff with Henry County Police.
Officers were called to a home on McKenzie Drive around 6 p.m., where they encountered a suicidal Hitesh Patel, 44. For about 30 minutes they attempted to talk Patel out of killing himself, said Henry County Police spokesman Jason Bolton.
Then, without warning, Patel aimed his gun at the officers, Bolton said. One responded with a single gunshot. Patel was transported to the Henry Medical Center, where he was was pronounced dead.
The officer who shot Patel has been placed on administrative leave, per standard procedure. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
