A man shot after allegedly attacking an Avondale Estates police officer on Friday has died, authorities said Saturday.
The incident began about 5:30 p.m. Friday when the officer observed a motorist running a red light at the intersection of Covington Highway and Kensington Road “at an extreme speed and with total disregard of other traffic,” Avondale police Cheif Gary L. Broden said in a statement released Saturday.
The officer proceeded down Kensington Road looking for the vehicle, and drove up on a broken power pole, downed power lines and a vehicle that had apparently lost control and slid across a yard before striking another vehicle and coming to a stop, according to Broden.
“The officer approached the violator’s vehicle while commanding the driver several times to remain in the vehicle,” Broden said.
“The driver disregarded the commands, continued towards the officer in an agitated manner and assaulted the officer, during which time the officer discharged his duty weapon one time, striking the violator in the chest,” Broden continued.
The chief said investigators later determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen to Dekalb County police.
The suspect was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, were he later died. His name was being withheld until relatives could be notified.
The officer, a 10 year veteran of the department whose name has also not been released, was treated for minor injuries at DeKalb Medical Center and released, Broden said.
The officer has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated by Avondale Estates police, the GBI and the DeKalb County District Attorney’s office.
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