Police Officer Fatally Shot and Another Wounded in Georgia
(CEDARTOWN, Ga.) — Two Georgia police officers were shot, one fatally, Friday while checking on a stolen car in the northwest region of the state, a county official said.
Two suspects had been arrested and a manhunt was underway for a third person in connection with the deadly shootings Friday morning about 60 miles (95 kms) northwest of Atlanta, Barry Atkison, assistant county manager for Polk County, told The Associated Press.
One of the Polk County police officers had responded to a call about a suspicious car about 11 a.m. Friday when a license plate check revealed the car had been stolen, Atkison said. The officer called for backup, he said, and waited for the second officer to arrive before taking further action.
“As they approached the vehicle, both officers were shot,” Atkison said. “One officer is deceased. The other was shot in the chest in the (protective) vest. He appears to be in good condition.”
The GBI released a statement that authorities were searching for a man last seen in the area who was “considered armed and dangerous.” The GBI did not identify him as a suspect, but advised residents not to approach him and to call 911 if he’s seen.
The agency used the National Blue Alert System to announce their search for the man. The system is used to foster communication between law enforcement and the public, and was created to support families of fallen officers.
Photos posted by The Rome News-Tribune showed officers gathering at a wooded area along a roadside.
Atkison, who was serving as a police spokesman, did not release the officers’ names.
