Towns County deputy shot in line of duty breaks silence as search for gunman continues

TOWNS COUNTY, Ga. - A north Georgia deputy recovering from gunshot wounds after a traffic stop turned violent is sharing his story from his hospital bed, while authorities continue searching for the suspect.

Deputy Austin Bradburn of the Towns County Sheriff’s Office said the incident unfolded early Friday morning on Plott Town Road. He was patrolling when he spotted a silver Honda sedan without a license plate.

"As I approached the car, the male subject got out of the car, and he began advancing towards me," Bradburn said.

Bradburn said he drew his gun and warned the driver to stop. "He stated, ‘You're going to shoot an unarmed man.’ So at that time, I pulled my taser."

The driver, ignoring Bradburn’s orders, continued moving forward with his hand in his pocket. Bradburn said he switched back to his firearm, but the situation escalated quickly.

"He grabbed my gun, I then threw my taser on the ground," Bradburn recalled. "He got a hold of it, and I started going backwards."

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said the suspect, described as a white man about six feet tall and 175 pounds, wrestled with the deputy for control of the weapon. During the struggle, shots were fired.

"Seven shots were fired out of my service weapon, and two of them struck me in the leg," Bradburn said. "One was a graze, but the other bullet went straight through."

Doctors do not believe the bullet hit any bones, but Bradburn said his recovery will take time.

"I just want to catch this guy and get him caught, so no other officers are put in danger," Bradburn said. "If he’s willing to do that to an officer, there’s no telling what else he’s capable of."

The GBI is leading the search for the suspect, who fled the scene in the silver four-door Honda sedan after leaving Bradburn’s service weapon behind.

An online fundraiser has been launched to support Deputy Bradburn’s recovery.