Armed man fleeing from deputies in stolen SUV, shot by deputies, sheriff says
ATLANTA - A driver fleeing from Fulton County Sheriff's deputies was shot during a foot chase through an Atlanta neighborhood around 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat identified that driver as 18-year-old Travon Yarborough.
According to officials, Yarborough caught the attention of the FCSO Fugitive Apprehension Support Team when deputies saw his SUV committing a traffic offense on Harwell Road. Labat says the SUV was then identified as being stolen from Decatur.
He says the driver attempted to flee from deputies and ended up crashing into a pole near the corner of Harwell Road and Delmar Lane, just east of Interstate 285.
"Our investigators attempted a traffic stop and at that point he jumped out, obviously wrecked behind us," the sheriff said.
The sheriff said Yarborough then took off running towards the nearby homes. Deputies ran after him and ended up shooting, when Sheriff Labat says Yarborough took out a gun.
"He brandished a weapon and was shot by one of our investigators," the sheriff said during a press conference just after 11 p.m. Tuesday.
The sheriff said Yarborough was shot at least once, sending him to a nearby hospital for treatment. He is expected to recover.
A young woman in the SUV was also taken to the hospital for observation.
No deputies were injured in the shooting.
Yarborough is expected to be charged with multiple felonies, but an exact list of charges was not immediately available.
An Atlanta Police Department's K-9 Unit was brought in to assist in searching for evidence. The sheriff says a gun was recovered and turned over to the GBI, as was the investigation.
This is the second shooting involving the Fulton County Sheriff's Office this year and the 42nd such investigation launched by the GBI this year.
What is the Fulton County Sheriff’s Fugitive Apprehension Support Team?
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office launched the Fugitive Apprehension Support Team, or F.A.S.T., in March 2023. It is the successor of the county’s SCORPION unit, the moniker of which was tarnished by the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, the sheriff said at the time.
Since its launch, the team has been targeting and capturing some of the region's most elusive criminals. More than 500 fugitives, including individuals wanted for violent crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and sexual assault, were taken into custody.
"Our goal with our F.A.S.T. team is really to help APD, help our surrounding agencies really focus on fighting crime, and in this particular case, again the car came back stolen, gentlemen had a weapon, and one more bad guy off the street," the sheriff said.
The sheriff added that the team’s goal is focused onsuppressing crime, apprehending violent criminals, and reducing gang-related crimes.