An Augusta man who police say attempted to drag an officer during a traffic stop was shot and killed early Tuesday in northern Bartow County. The officer-involved shooting was captured on a dashboard camera, but not released due to the ongoing investigation.
“The video footage, seeing the officer dragged, shocks the conscience,” Adairsville police Lt. Matt Fowler told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The incident began when a police officer, whose name was not released, attempted to stop a vehicle on Ga. 140 at the northbound entrance to I-75 around 12:40 a.m., according to GBI spokeswoman Sherry Lang. The GBI is assisting with the investigation.
The driver, identified as Charles Leon Johnson II, 29, was wanted on a simple battery charge and the officer attempted to arrest him, Lang said. Johnson was wanted in Richmond County, Fowler said.
“As the officer tried to place Johnson under arrest, Johnson attempted to flee dragging the officer along the road,” Lang said in an emailed statement. “The officer fired once at Johnson, killing him.”
The officer was run over by Johnson’s vehicle, but not seriously injured, Fowler said. He was treated for undisclosed injuries and released from a local hospital, according to the city’s Interim Chief Arnold Gillman. The officer has been placed on administrative leave according to department protocol, Gillman said.
Adairsville is located about 60 miles north of Atlanta off I-75.
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