Man shot, killed by police during attempted traffic stop along S. Cobb Drive identified
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - The man who was shot and killed by Cobb County police has been identified as 26-year-old Peter Luna-Lopez of Marietta. Police say that he was the subject of a drug investigation prior to the shooting on Wednesday.
Lopez's body was taken to the Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting.
ORIGINAL STORY
It started with a traffic stop and ended in gunfire. One person is now dead, according to the Cobb County sheriff.
South Cobb Drive was shut down between Windy Hill Road and Old Concord Road NE for several hours on Wednesday evening.
"We've been involved in an officer-involved shooting this evening," said Cobb County Police Chief Stuart Van Hoozer.
It happened around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday night near the Dobbins Air Reserve Base.
More than a dozen shots were fired across the busy Cobb County road during rush hour traffic.
"During that encounter of the traffic stop, shots were fired. The individual inside the vehicle is now deceased," said Sheriff Craig Owens
The sheriff says the Marietta Cobb Smyrna Organized Crime Unit, a multi-jurisdictional task force which targets drug activity in the area, was attempting to pull the vehicle over.
"There was an endeavor to escape after the traffic stop," said Chief VanHoozer during a brief press conference held just after 8 p.m.
"The F-150 pick up tried to make a U-turn to elude the police and one of the officers tried to make a PIT maneuver and drove the pick up into the woods," said Victoria Chatman, who was with her family on South Cobb Drive when it was all happening.
Chatman says they heard about 20 gunshots.
"As we see, the vehicle launched into the woods with the police car near it. We heard gunshots erupting. We couldn't even tell where they were coming from just everywhere," said Chatman.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the shooting.
"We send our condolences to the families and friends of those involved in the shooting. We ask for your thoughts and prayers for the officers, who face a very dangerous job. We're thankful no other people were hurt," said Chief VanHoozer.
Officials would not release any details about the driver.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was asked to investigate.
This is the 91st officer-involved shooting the GBI has been asked to investigate so far this year.
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