A Georgia police officer was killed and two sheriff’s deputies were wounded Friday while trying to arrest a man, authorities said.
The slain officer worked for the police department in Locust Grove, a small town about 35 miles south of Atlanta, Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer said at a news conference.
One Henry County deputy was in serious condition and underwent surgery at Atlanta Medical Center and the second deputy was in fair condition in the same hospital, McBrayer said.
The suspect also died, he said.
The shooting occurred in Locust Grove when the two deputies went to a residence to arrest a man for failure to appear in Locust Grove Municipal Court, McBrayer said.
“They talked with the individual and after about 10 minutes of talking with him realized they were going to be making an arrest and they were going to have issues placing him in custody,” the sheriff said. “It was obvious the individual was not going to go.”
The deputies called for backup and a Locust Grove officer arrived.
While trying to make the arrest, an altercation occurred during which the three officers and the suspect were all shot, McBrayer said.
Neither the officers nor the suspect were identified.
The slain officer had about five years of experience, McBrayer said. McBrayer said one deputy had more than 20 years of experience and the second officer was a reserve deputy with “vast” law experience.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation.
Eight other law enforcement officers have died of gunfire this year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
On Wednesday, David Sherrard of the Richardson, Texas, police was killed while responding to a shots fired call at an apartment complex. A suspect is in custody.
On Monday, Micah Flick of the sheriff’s office in El Paso County, Colorado, was killed while investigating a vehicle theft. Three other law enforcement officers were shot and injured during a struggle with the suspect in Colorado Springs, authorities say. The suspect was killed.
Flick was the third officer killed in Colorado since the beginning of the year.
