Man armed with rifle dies after shooting at police at DeKalb gas station, GBI says

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating a shooting at a Redan-area gas station that left a suspect dead and an officer injured Monday evening.

Officials tell FOX 5 the shooting happened shortly after 8:30 p.m. at the Shell gas station located in the 6400 block of Covington Highway. 

According to the GBI, the incident began when officers responded to reports of a homicide at a location on Cedar Croft Court in Redan.

While officers were investigating the death and searching for the suspect, officials say they encountered a man armed with a rifle less a mile away at the gas station.

The GBI says the man shot at officers, hitting multiple police and civilian vehicles.

DeKalb County police reportedly returned fire, hitting and killing the man. His identity has not been released, and officials have not said if he is connected to the homicide.

One officer received minor injuries in the shooting. 

The GBI investigates an officer-involved shooting involving a DeKalb County police officer at a Shell gas station off Covington Highway near Stonecrest on Nov. 21, 2022. (FOX 5)

Terri Maultsby, her daughter, and two friends drove right by the shooting. She said she through the gunshots were fireworks at first.

"The shots kept coming, and we realized they were gunshots," she said. "About 15 gunshots went off."

As they drove by a vehicle on Wellborn Road near the intersection, the women say they saw muzzle flashes coming from inside a car.

"There was like flashes of light like someone was using a Polaroid camera-type of flash inside the vehicle," Maultsby said. "You could hear the shots from the vehicle. You could see the flash from the vehicle. Somebody opened the door, and you could see the smoke coming from out of that vehicle."

Maultsby, who was sitting in the back seat, took cover to make sure she didn't get hit by a stray bullet. She then called 911.

The woman tells FOX 5 that the car had a pink Lyft light.

This is not the first time police tape has surrounded this particular parking lot.

Earlier this year, in March, two teens were arrested after police say an innocent bystander was killed by a stray bullet from a shootout.

On July 14, 2021, a teen was cleared of charges after police say he fired at a gunman who pointed a gun at his brother’s head during an attempted robbery.

Last week, the DeKalb County Commission allowed a measure to move forward that would require all gas stations within the county to have a certain number of surveillance cameras as a crime deterrent.

This is the 106th officer-involved shooting case the GBI has been asked to investigate this year.

This story is developing.  Check back for details. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com.