Mail carrier homicide suspect shot by deputies in Banks County

BANKS COUNTY, Ga. - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is probing the deputy-involved shooting of a man they said killed a U.S. Postal working in Banks County.

The postal worker, officials said, is 59-year-old Asa Wood, a rural postal worker and Commerce resident, was shot while delivering mail. The Banks County Sheriff’s Office says the man was shot sometime before 9:30 a.m. Saturday on a rural road outside Commerce.

Hours later, deputies found the suspect. While patrolling Highway 51 and Bennett Road, a vehicle of interest was encountered by deputies. Deputies attempted to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle and the driver of the vehicle fled from deputies.

A chase between the suspect and law enforcement ensued when the suspect avoided a traffic stop, and police disabled the suspect's car. 

The suspect allegedly began firing at deputies after exiting the car. Deputies returned fire and shot the suspect, who was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Deputies were not injured in the shooting, officials said. 

The Banks County Sheriff’s Office is working in tandem with the U.S. Postal Inspectors, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Banks County Coroner’s Office.

The suspect's name is being withheld pending the GBI’s investigation.

Attacking a mail carrier is a federal crime.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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