According to Officer Chuck McPhilamy of the Marietta Police Department, a man was shot by police this morning while allegedly refusing to drop a compound bow at the intersection of Marietta Parkway and Atlanta Street.

The suspect is alive at the time of the public information release, and being treated at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

The public information release describes the incident as follows:

At approximately 7:10 this morning Marietta Police officers were dispatched to the intersection of South Marietta Parkway and Atlanta Street regarding a vehicle that had struck the bridge.  Officers from multiple agencies responded, observed a vehicle with heavy front-end damage resting against the bridge and expecting to see an individual or individuals needing medical assistance.  Officers exited their vehicles and approached the damaged car.  Officers observed an individual near the car grab a compound bow and aim it at one of the officers.  A Marietta officer gave multiple verbal commands to drop the weapon.  When the commands were not followed the officer drew their handgun and fired it, striking the suspect one time.  The suspect dropped to the ground near where they had been standing and refused to comply with additional verbal commands.  A shield was brought to the scene so officers could safely approach the suspect, place him in handcuffs and begin rendering aid.  The suspect was conscious alert and breathing when transported to WellStar Kennestone Hospital moments later.

We have been able to confirm the vehicle that struck the bridge is the same one that was carjacked earlier this morning in Atlanta.  We are not yet able to confirm this suspect is the same as the carjacking incident.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigations was notified and responded to the scene to take over the investigation.  All future updates will come from their office.

The GBI’s role in officer-involved shootings

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation routinely investigates the shooting of individuals by police officers, as well as any time an officer discharges a firearm while on duty, at the request of the police agency involved in the shooting.

Natalie Ammons, the Deputy Director of the GBI’s Office of Public Affairs explained to us how the system works.

Police agencies are not required to request outside investigation of officer involved shootings, and there is no formal agreement between the GBI and local police departments.

But police agencies make the request so that an independent agency does the investigation in an incident involving their own officers.

The investigations are carried out by Special Agents in a regional office within the area where the police agency is located. Cobb County, and much of the rest of metro Atlanta, is in the GBI’s Region 10, based in Conyers.

In Region 10, officer involved shootings and corruption investigations are the primary investigations Special Agents do, while in more rural areas with fewer police resources the agents handle a wider range of criminal investigations.

There is no special unit or division that conducts the investigation of officer involved shootings.

The announcements of the investigations can be found at the GBI’s press release web page.