Police: Officer shot to head, carjacking suspect dead after chase, shootout
COBB COUNTY, Ga - An officer received a gunshot wound to the head and an “armed and dangerous” carjacking suspect is dead after a chase and shootout Thursday evening, Cobb County police confirmed.
Police said they believe this started around 7:30 p.m. when the suspect carjacked the driver of a Tesla near Delk and Powers Ferry roads.
"We saw the Tesla came flying by, three or four cars behind it, hit a median, there's some construction up here, hit the median in the road and he went flying. He was weaving in and out of the cones," said Ray Stringer, who witnessed police trying to spot the stolen car.
"Attempted to make a traffic stop. The suspect immediately opened fire on our officers. We actually had a patrol car that was hit several times," said Sgt. Wayne Delk, Cobb County Police Department.
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Police said the suspect fled the scene. When they arrived at Powers Ferry Road near I-285, police said the suspect again opened fire on officers. He then jumped out of the Tesla, police said, and made a run for it. He fled into the nearby Chattahoochee Chase Townhomes.
"He attempted to break into an apartment. The homeowner would not let him. He brandished a weapon, still wouldn't let him in. And he continued to run from officers and fire at officers, again, on foot," Delk said. "In the condominium complex, he actually struck one of our officers in the head, he was firing at him. Those officers returned fire, shot the suspect, the suspect is dead."
One officer was struck by the suspect's bullet, police said. The officer was wounded, but the bullet did not pierce the officer’s skull. The officer was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta and was said to be alert. Commanders say he was very lucky. Cobb County Police Chief Tim Cox has asked the community to pray for the officer.
"I ask for your prayers for our officers and his family as he's going through recovery," the chief said.
The suspect’s name has not been released.
The injured officer has not been identified.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been asked to look into the officer-involved shooting.
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This story has been updated to correct information about the carjacking and the location of the shooting.