Sister: Murdered Gwinnett officer was 'one of the good guys'
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - The family of Officer Antwan Toney is trying to come to grips with a heartbreaking loss after he was killed in the line of duty.
Toney was shot Saturday responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle at Crumps Landing and White Road just behind Shiloh Middle School.
When Toney approached the vehicle, shots were fired from inside the car. He was rushed to Gwinnett County Medical Center in Lawrenceville where he died.
"Antwan was just the life of the party, kind hearted, generous," Toney's older sister Carla Johnson told FOX 5. "Anyone who met him, their first interaction with him they'd instantly fall in love with him."
Johnson said her brother was living his dream as an officer for the Gwinnett County Police Department.
"Atwan knew he wanted to be a police officer since he was a child. He had cop figurines, police cars. He used to roll around the house all the time," she said.
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When she got the call that her brother had been shot and killed in the line of duty, her heart ripped in two.
"It's really hard to vocalize when you completely lose control of your body but your mind is telling you need to get it together," She said. "But I was the first to know so I knew iIhad to be strong for my family, for my mother and my parents."
Now, she says she wants the community to remember her brother for the principals he lived by every day.
"Antwan was one of the good guys and he wanted to join the police force to bridge that gap between law enforcement and the community," she said.
Officers are working around the clock to bring Toney's suspected killer, 18-year-old Tefaree Maynard, to justice.
"Hes a pretty big guy, 6 feet 1 inch, 6 feet 2 inches and 300 pounds, so he should be pretty recognizable by all those who might encounter him," Sgt. Jake Smith said.
Officers say they believe Maynard could still be close by to the incident, so that's where they're focusing.
As his family sits by waiting for answers, Johnson says they will celebrate his spirit and his love for his community.
"He knew that his purpose was to help others and that is exactly what he did and we're trying to find peace in knowing that he died doing exactly what he wanted to do," she said.
A public vigil to honor Toney will be held Monday night at 7:30 at Gwinnett Church in Sugar Hill.