The victim of a Saturday afternoon shooting in Griffin Crossings Apartments complex has died.
He has been identified as 24-year-old Reginald Darnell Hamm, of Griffin.
Hamm sustained a gunshot wound to the chest in the shooting that occurred at the entrance to Griffin Crossings, located at 1597 W. McIntosh Road.
Hamm was transported by ambulance to the WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital Emergency Room where he succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information related to this homicide is asked to call 770.229.9911.
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Multiple suspects are in police custody related to the Saturday afternoon shooting death of 24-year-old Reginald Darnell Hamm.
“We are no longer actively seeking any other suspects on reference to the shooting that took place earlier this afternoon at Griffin Crossings,” said. Griffin Police Department Public Information Officer Lt. Daniel Jett.
Two people have been arrested in connection to the shooting and two additional arrests have been made for allegedly obstructing the GPD investigation.
Hamm sustained a gunshot wound to his chest. He was transported to the WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital Emergency Room where he succumbed to his injuries.
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A dispute at Wal-Mart led to the Saturday afternoon shooting death of 24-year-old Reginald Darnell Hamm at Griffin Crossings Apartments, officials say.
The Griffin Police Department Criminal Investigation Division conducted numerous interviews and executed several search warrants throughout the day, ultimately determining that Hamm and two other men who were involved in the Wal-Mart dispute later encountered each other again at the entrance to Griffin Crossings.
Authorities say Hamm was then shot in the chest by 21-year-old John Hunter, of Terrytown, La.
After obtaining this information, Hunter and the second male suspect, 18-year-old Jacorey Leblanc, also of Louisiana, were apprehended by the GPD CAGE Unit in Griffin Crossings at Apartment 1601.
Four people were taken into custody at that location and transported to the Police Department.
Hunter and Leblanc have been charged with murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
Leblanc is also wanted by the Shreveport, La. Office of Juvenile Justice for escape.
Also arrested and charged in connection with this incident are 23-year-old Ashante Harris and 30-year-old Shedreka Leblanc, who have both been charged with felony hindering apprehension.
All four suspects are being held in the Spalding County Jail.
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Booking photos provided by the Spalding County Jail.
STAFF REPORT :::
Six men were arrested after a fight broke out on a sidewalk in downtown Griffin.
The incident occurred just before 2 a.m. Friday on the sidewalk near Slices Pizzeria, reported Griffin Police Department Officer Scott Collum, who was patrolling the area searching for a suspect vehicle that may have been involved in a previous shooting.
“As I approached Slices Pizzeria I observed six males begin to fight on the sidewalk,” Collum said.
He activated his patrol car’s lights and siren, exited the vehicle and gave a verbal command to stop.
“They separated and four of them fled east on Solomon Street. I pursued the suspects on foot and managed to catch one of the suspects,” Collum said, adding that the remaining three fleeing suspects were taken into custody by other officers. Two other suspects remained at the scene.
The GPD identified the four men who allegedly ran as Austin Hurt, age 27, Dylan O’Kelly, age 21, Krischon Arnold, age 21, and Nickalaus Padlo, age 28. The two who remained were Nathan Skinner, age 27, and Jacob Gatlin, age 27.
According to Collum, Skinner and Gatlin alleged that Hurt and O’Kelly “were being verbally abusive towards them and being aggressive,” and that Hurt and Arnold threw the first punches.
Skinner and Gatlin also claimed the dispute was based on Gatlin’s ex-girlfriend “having social interaction with Krischon.”
Collum said O’Kelly and Arnold alleged the other four men “did not like” Arnold “being around” Gatlin’s ex-girlfriend. O’Kelly and Arnold said the other four began making threats and attacked them first.
All six men had minor injuries consistent with fighting, Collum said.
All six were arrested on a charge of affray, and Hurt, O’Kelly, Arnold and Padlo were also charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
They were all transported to the Spalding County Jail.
Collum reported that as he transported O’Kelly and Arnold in his patrol car, both men claimed to be employed by the city of Griffin Electric Department.
“I heard Dylan tell Krischon that he was on call,” Collum stated. “Krischon and Dylan had been making negative comments in reference to the accidents of three officers and made derogatory comments referencing Griffin P.D.”
The six men were processed and released from custody.
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A Griffin man was struck by multiple vehicles and killed Sunday night in an incident on Interstate 75 in Monroe County.
Authorities say 25-year-old Markel Dezman Matthews died after a wreck and alleged altercation with an off-duty officer of the Glynn County Police Department.
“(The) preliminary investigation shows that Matthews struck the Officers marked patrol vehicle in the rear, leaving both vehicles inoperable. Matthews exited his vehicle and attacked the Glynn County Officer,” Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Coordinator Anna Lewis said in an emailed statement. “The Officer proceeded to defend himself against Matthews. After a brief struggle, Matthews then ran into Interstate traffic where he was struck by multiple vehicles, killing him instantly.” The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene in the northbound lanes of I-75 near Johnstonville Road at approximately 9:40 p.m.
The Glynn County officer, whose name was not released, was transported to Monroe County Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
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Two people were wounded in a shooting overnight Saturday in Wyomia Tyus Park.
The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office responded at approximately 2:30 a.m. to the WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital Emergency Room where deputies met with Griffin Police Department personnel regarding the incident.
The shooting was not initially reported to 911 by either of the wounded parties or witnesses. It was only reported by hospital staff after the two victims arrived at the Emergency Room seeking treatment.
According to Sheriff Darrell Dix, investigators are still working to determine precisely what happened in Tyus Park.
He said the investigation has been hampered because both people who sustained gunshot wounds and numerous witnesses have been uncooperative.
“We have got multiple stories from multiple people. We’re still trying to track people down to get the facts. We have some people we’ve talked to who didn’t see anything and don’t know anything. The first time we talked to the victims, they didn’t know anything. We’re still trying to unravel the chain of events and how they happened,” Dix said Monday afternoon. “I don’t even think they’ve pinned down the exact location. I know there were some shell casings found in a parking lot up there, but right now, the victims and witnesses are not even being cooperative about where it happened.”
Dix could report that both individuals who were shot were males, and both were shot in the side.
“I don’t think any of the wounds were life threatening. I think they were both shot in the side – on opposite sides – but they were not life-threatening injuries from what I’ve been told,” he said.
Since Monday, SCSO Criminal Investigation Division personnel have resolved some questions regarding the incident.
“The shooting first of all was not gang related. It appears that two young men had a conflict over a female, and they decided to go to one of the areas at Wyomia Tyus Park to fight,” Dix said. “They got there, they started fighting and some time during the altercation, another person produced a weapon and fired.”
Authorities say the shots were not fired by either of the two who agreed to meet at Wyomia Tyus Park to fight over the female.
“We don’t believe it was the two involved in the mutual combat. One victim of the shooting is absolutely uncooperative. The second victim is somewhat cooperative but is having to be encouraged by family members to open up about what happened,” Dix said. “We’ve interviewed multiple people that were there at the time the incident occurred and we anticipate interviewing more people as it relates to this, but right now, it’s pretty much at the ‘we didn’t see anything’ and ‘we don’t know anything’ point where the witnesses are concerned. I don’t’ want to say that all the witnesses are being that way. Some of them are very forthcoming, but most are pretty much uncooperative.”
Asked if the multiple witnesses just happened to be at Wyomia Tyus Park at the time of the fight and shooting, Dix said, “There’s no indication they were just random witnesses. I believe they were there to witness the fight. So, the rumors that these people were there and sitting on their cars and someone began shooting, that it was just a random shooting, that it was gang related – those rumors are false. It was all over a young lady from what we’ve been able to gather so far.”
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office at 770.467.4282.
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Booking photos provided by the Spalding County Jail.
STAFF REPORT :::
Two men have been arrested after a child accessed a firearm and shot himself Wednesday.
Officers of the Griffin Police Department on Wednesday at approximately 5:55 p.m. responded to a call to WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital in reference to a shooting victim.
Upon arrival, officers learned a child had sustained a gunshot wound to the leg and foot.
It was determined the incident occurred at North Hill Street and Kentucky Avenue while the child was allegedly left unattended in a parked vehicle where the gun was unsecured.
Officials say the child’s caregivers were outside the vehicle when the child accessed and fired the weapon, striking himself.
Dequaveon L. Lewis, age 21, of Stockbridge, and the child’s father, Kevon Roydrell Roberts, age 22, of Griffin, were arrested and charged with reckless conduct and cruelty to children. Authorities say the charge of cruelty to children is based on “their actions or inactions related to the incident.”
The child was transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and is expected to recover.
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The wreck that killed 17-year-old Griffin High School student Devin Vickers and left two other Spalding County teens in critical condition remains under investigation by the Henry County Police Department.
According to Investigator Jake Mitchell, a collision investigator in the HCPD Traffic Unit, the wreck, which occurred just north of Atlanta Motor Speedway, was reported to 911 by one of the involved drivers at approximately 1:15 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.
“One vehicle was traveling south, and the other vehicle was crossing over 19-41 going westbound from Franklin Rivers to Little Road,” Mitchell said, describing both vehicles as four-door sedans. “It was more of a T-bone type of wreck.”
Vickers was pronounced dead at the scene, Mitchell said.
The vehicle in which Vickers was travelling was occupied by two additional boys, a 15-year-old passenger and the 16-year-old driver, both of whom were critically injured.
The 15-year-old passenger, who was not restrained, was ejected from the vehicle. Vickers and the 16-year-old driver were restrained, Mitchell confirmed.
The female driver of the second vehicle also sustained injuries. All three were transported by ambulance to the trauma units of either Grady Memorial Hospital or Atlanta Medical Center.
Authorities are not yet releasing the names of the injured parties.
When asked if he has identified the at-fault driver, Mitchell said, “I can’t discuss that now. There’s still a lot of work to be done on that.”
Mitchell said the two injured boys remain in critical condition and are receiving treatment in Intensive Care Units and the female driver is in stable condition.
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The Griffin Police Department Special Investigations (SIU), and Criminal Apprehension and Gang Enforcement(CAGE) units in September made 44 arrests, including four gang related arrests, recovered six handguns and seized more than $6,400 and a stolen vehicle.
The arrests represented multiple cases including a homicide that occurred at the entrance of Griffin Crossings Apartments. Within ten hours of the incident, four people were in custody, two of whom were charged in the homicide of 24-year-old Reginald Darnell Hamm. Two handguns were recovered including the alleged murder weapon.
The SIU and CAGE units on Sept. 22 conducted a concentrated patrol in what officials describe as a high crime and known narcotics area.
One traffic stop resulted in the seizure of 14.43 grams of cocaine and 17 grams of marijuana and the arrest of 36-year-old Dante Crawford who was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
The following day, Sept. 23, a search warrant was executed at 1014 Ray St. resulting in the seizure of 6.18 grams of cocaine and the arrest of 38-year-old Farentae Nelson.
Authorities say upon the arrival of the SIU and CAGE units, Nelson fled on foot. He was later apprehended with the assistance of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office CAGE Unit and K9 officer.
Nelson was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and violation of parole on a previous homicide sentence.
Another search warrant was conducted Sept. 28 resulting in the seizure of 32.56 grams of cocaine and $3,800 in United States currency. Arrested was Don Evans, age 47, who was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and trafficking cocaine.
A third search warrant executed Sept. 28 at 420 N. 16th St. led to the seizure of 55.65 grams of cocaine and the arrest of 40-year-old Isaac Lavar Reid and 36-year-old Lequila Harvey. Reid and Harvey were charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, trafficking cocaine, third degree child cruelty and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. Reid was also charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
An operation on a stolen vehicle located in The Oaks Apartments was conducted Sept. 30. After a brief foot pursuit, Sadarius Williams was apprehended and arrested. Authorities allege Williams attempted to abandon a handgun and was also in possession of ecstasy, cocaine, oxycodone, amphetamine, marijuana and $2,621 in United States currency.
Williams was booked into the Spalding County Jail on 44 charges, including violations of the Georgia Criminal Street Gang Act.
GPD officials say these successful operations were the result of hard work and countless hours of surveillance supported by information provided by concerned residents, and that they represent the GPD’s dedication to eliminating crime and in conjunction with its citizen partners, improving the safety and quality of life for Griffin residents.
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The Griffin Police Department is investigating numerous entering auto cases that occurred throughout Friday night.
The GPD Uniform Patrol Division received several calls between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday.
The incidents occurred in the areas of West Quilly Street, West Slaton Avenue, Ellis Street, South 19th Street, North 9th Street and Woodland Drive.
Authorities say vehicles were damaged and items – primarily cash – were removed from the automobiles.
Anyone with information related to these cases, or who may have surveillance footage from home security recording devices) is asked to contact Investigator Adam Trammel at 770.229.6450 extension 526 or atrammel@cityofgriffin.com.
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The Griffin Police Department is investigating the homicide of 40-year-old Johnny Whitlock.
Officers of the GPD Uniform Patrol Division responded at approximately 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to a call reporting a person shot at 1224 Ellis Road.
Upon arrival, officers located Whitlock with a gunshot wound to the chest.
The shooting occurred at Whitlock’s residence.
Whitlock was transported by ambulance to the WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital Emergency Room where he later died.
Investigators responded to the scene and the investigation is ongoing.
The GRIP will report additional information related to this incident as it becomes available.
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An arrest has been made in the Tuesday night shooting death of 40-year-old Johnny Whitlock.
Griffin Police Department investigators have charged 25-year-old Renita Thomas, of 615 Northside Drive Apartment O-2 with aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter and pointing a gun at another.
Officers of the GPD Uniform Patrol Division responded at approximately 7:30 p.m. to a call reporting a person shot at 1224 Ellis Road, Whitlock’s residence.
Upon arrival, officers located Whitlock with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported by ambulance to the WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital Emergency Room where he died.
Authorities say the investigation into Whitlock’s shooting death remains active.
The GRIP will report additional information on this story as it becomes available.
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The Griffin Police Department has arrested one man and two additional suspects are being sought following an attempted carjacking.
Officials say the GPD Criminal Apprehension and Gang Enforcement (CAGE) Unit was conducting intensified patrol in the 800 block of Williams Street – an area in which numerous shots fired incidents have recently occurred.
While patrolling, an officer reportedly observed a group of people standing in the middle of the roadway obstructing traffic. When the officer approached the group, three men allegedly fled on foot towards West Quilly Street.
As the officer was pursuing the three men, he reported seeing two of the men enter a parked car near the intersection of West Quilly and Belle streets. The vehicle was occupied by a victim who was uninvolved, officials say.
Authorities say the officer attempted to apprehend the suspects but both fled the vehicle.
According to the officer, the vehicle’s occupant said she did not know the suspects and reported that while armed with a handgun, they demanded she drive away.
Officials describe the victim as “scared and confused” but said she wisely did not comply and move the vehicle.
The victim authorized a search of her vehicle, which led officers to locate a loaded handgun on the rear passenger floorboard where one suspect had allegedly attempted to hide.
A brief foot pursuit resulted in the arrest of one suspect, 19-year-old Isaac Burks.
Burks has been charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer, first degree hijacking of a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of a concealed weapon and violation of the Georgia Criminal Street Gang Act.
Investigators are actively working to identify the two remaining suspects.
A press release issued by the Griffin Police Department stated, “Due to the quick decisive action on the part of the CAGE unit investigators, a dangerous situation was averted and a menace to our community was arrested.”
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Booking photo provided by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office
SHEILA A. MATHEWS :::
Isaac Burks, the 19-year-old Griffin man arrested Thursday by the Griffin Police Department in connection with a carjacking, was already facing charges stemming from a September shooting incident.
Burks was arrested Sept. 1 on charges of reckless conduct, theft by receiving stolen property and criminal damage to property related to an August case.
According to the GPD, Uniform Patrol Division officers reported hearing approximately ten to 12 shots fired in the vicinity of Lane Street in the early evening hours of Aug. 29.
One vehicle on Lynn Lane was found to have sustained damage from the gunfire.
After identifying Burks as the suspect in the August case, the GPD, with assistance from the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant on his 115 Marble Court residence.
That search resulted in the seizure of a firearm previously reported stolen.
Burks was on Sept. 4 released from the Spalding County Jail on a $35,000 bond.
Less than six weeks later, Burks is again being held in the Spalding County Jail on charges related to an Oct. 8 incident.
Authorities say Burks is one of two men who committed a carjacking in an attempt to flee from an officer of the GPD Criminal Apprehension and Gang Enforcement (CAGE) Unit.
Officials say Burks and a second fleeing suspect entered a parked vehicle near the intersection of West Quilly and Belle streets and while armed with a handgun, demanded the female occupant drive away.
Officers later located a handgun in the vehicle’s rear passenger floorboard where one suspect reportedly attempted to hide.
In the October case, Burks faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and pedestrian on highways for which bond has been set in the amounts of $500, $1,000 and $500 respectively, and additional charges of motor vehicle hijacking and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime for which bond was denied.
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A traffic stop conducted by the Griffin Police Department Criminal Apprehension and Gang Enforcement (CAGE) Unit resulted in the arrest of a Henry County man on narcotics charge.
According to the GPD, the traffic stop was conducted at approximately 10:50 a.m. Thursday in the area of North 6th Street and Central Avenue.
Authorities say narcotics and medical supplies were found in the vehicle and it was later determined they were the property of Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge.
Hospital personnel were notified and they in turn reported it to the Henry County Police Department (HCPD).
Based on information provided by the GPD, HCPD narcotics investigators executed a search warrant on the residence of 19-year-old Dakota Weaver, the vehicle’s driver.
That search resulted in the seizure of additional narcotics and medical supplies.
Weaver was arrested by the GPD and charged with possession of a Schedule 2 narcotic. He is being held in the Spalding County Jail and has additional charges pending in Henry County.
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A high speed chase involving two suspect vehicles initiated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office ended with two separate wrecks – one in Lamar County and the second in Spalding County.
According to Monroe County Sheriff Brad Freeman, the incident began in Monroe County when a deputy patrolling the interstate observed the two vehicles commit numerous traffic violations.
“The way this started, our deputy was riding north on I-75. The two cars passed him in the emergency lane. They just passed the marked unit at a high rate of speed,” Freeman explained, adding that his deputy was unable to safely follow in the emergency lane. “They (the drivers) saw him and slowed down a little bit. They just kept driving in the emergency lane. He was in Lamar County when he tried to pull them over, so the pursuit actually began in Lamar County.”
At that time, deputies of the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office joined in the pursuit.
Lamar County Sheriff Brad White said his deputies’ primary involvement ended when one suspect vehicle wrecked as it was travelling at a high rate of speed towards Griffin.
“Our deputies assisted, and we pitted one vehicle just north of New Hope Road, so the vast majority of our deputies stopped with that accident. To the best of my knowledge, Monroe County was still pursuing them,” White said.
White said the vehicle that was stopped via the PIT maneuver was occupied by two suspects, neither of whom were injured in the wreck.
After leaving the roadway, the suspect vehicle sped through the front yard of a nearby residence, nearly running into the structure.
No Lamar County deputies were injured in the incident.
The pursuit concluded with the wreck of the second suspect vehicle in the area of Zebulon Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway.
Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix reported none of his deputies were involved in the pursuit.
“Our deputies were not involved in it (the chase). We didn’t know about it until the wreck occurred,” Dix said. “When the Nixle alert came out, it said accident with injuries and possible entrapment at MLK and Zebulon Road.”
Sheriff Freeman said both suspect vehicles had previously been reported stolen.
“I guess they were going to Wisconsin because that is where they are from. At least some of these people are from Wisconsin,” Freeman said. “They took a stolen car down from Wisconsin to Miami Beach where they stole another car and were taking it home.”
Freeman said he was aware of only one suspect who may have sustained injuries.
“It’s my understanding there was one guy in a dually pickup truck that was injured when it wrecked and one of our cars experienced some mechanical damage when it ran up an embankment but no deputies were injured,” he said.
Freeman said that because the pursuit began in Lamar County, that is where the felony charges will be taken against the suspects.
“We’re taking all felony charges in Lamar County. We’re going to write them traffic citations in Monroe County,” he said, citing such charges as theft by bringing stolen property into the state and fleeing and attempting to elude. “I think one of them had some narcotics and several thousand dollars on him and one of them had an outstanding warrant, also.”
Freeman said his agency has a comprehensive pursuit policy and that most of such incidents result from high risk situations.
“Most of our pursuits are started by pretty egregious traffic violations. That’s what happened today,” Freeman said. “I believe they were running somewhere close to 95 to 100 miles per hour. That’s when they were driving in the emergency lane. That’s what drew our attention to them. They were already reckless and endangering people’s lives when we noticed them.”
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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been requested to investigate an officer involved shooting involving a deputy of the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
The incident occurred Sunday evening after an attempted tractor trailer break in was reported.
The CCSO received the report at approximately 9:21 p.m. and responded to the BP truck stop located at 1389 Highway 29 South, Newnan.
The caller reported that the individuals responsible for the attempted break in had driven away in a U-Haul truck.
A deputy soon located a U-Haul truck nearby at the Pilot truck stop located at 1645 Highway 29 South.
Two men were observed standing at the rear of an opened tractor trailer.
The deputy stopped and attempted to make contact with the two men who subsequently drove away at a high rate of speed, officials say.
Authorities say the U-Haul exited the parking lot, entered the highway and hit head on a Mazda CX-7, causing non-life threatening injuries to two occupants who were transported to a local hospital.
The driver of the U-Haul, later identified as 45-year-old Jackie Harris, reportedly travelled south on Highway 29 at a high rate of speed, causing other vehicles to run off the road and swerved towards patrol vehicles in an attempt to run officers off the road.
The CCSO reported that after reaching exit 35 at I-85, Harris travelled northbound and continued to swerve towards patrol vehicles. They stated that deputies deployed multiple stop sticks in attempts to stop the U-Haul.
Upon reaching exit 47, officials say a deputy fired multiple gunshots from his patrol vehicle into the U-Haul, striking Harris multiple times. The U-Haul then struck the interstate wall and stopped.
Harris received medical treatment at the scene and was transported to Atlanta Medical Center where he remains.
The U-Haul passenger, 42-year-old Mario Keen, was transported to Piedmont Newnan Hospital where he was treated and released to the Coweta County Jail.
No officers were injured in this incident.
The GBI will conduct an independent investigation and once completed, the case file will be turned over to the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
This is the 79th officer involved shooting the GBI has been requested to investigate in 2020.
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Booking photos provided by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office
STAFF REPORT :::
A search warrant conducted by the Griffin Police Department resulted in the arrest of two people on numerous narcotics related charges.
The search warrant was conducted Monday at the residence located at 203 Lexington Ave.
Officers of the GPD Special Investigations and Criminal Apprehension and Gang Enforcement units report the seizure of 14.27 grams of cocaine, four syringes loaded with methamphetamine, more than two ounces of marijuana, one gram of ecstasy and $1,431 in United States currency.
Identified as the targets of the search warrant, 43-year-old Walter Clemons and 31-year-old Keyondrea Guider were arrested and face charges of possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of more than one ounce of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park, possession of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a housing complex and possession of drug related objects.
Please consider financially supporting The GRIP. The news you find in The GRIP is free for all. You’ll never be hindered by a paywall or limited to only a few articles each month. That’s because knowledge CANNOT be a commodity available only to those with the ability to purchase it. While the news will always be free for all, it is far from free to produce. That’s why The GRIP needs your support. Your support will enable The GRIP to continue to provide relevant news in your community and beyond. It’s quick and painless. Just click this link: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16902623 All support will be greatly appreciated, whether a small one-time donation or recurring monthly gift. Thank you!
A Spalding County man was critically wounded in a Wednesday afternoon shooting that authorities are describing as a personal dispute.
Personnel of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a call reporting a person shot at approximately 2 p.m. in the 800 block of East McIntosh Road.
“The two people knew each other – they were affiliated with each other – and it appears to be related to some type of a civil dispute,” said Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix, later adding, “It was a dispute between two people who live together, who are sharing the same residence.”
The victim sustained a single gunshot wound to the right buttock and was transported by air ambulance to the Atlanta Medical Center trauma unit for treatment of possible internal bleeding, Dix said.
“The suspect was taken into custody and is being interviewed, and we have some witnesses that we are also in the process of interviewing now,” Dix said. “I can say he (the suspect) is someone that we are familiar with and a gun was recovered.”
Dix described the incident as unusual than most in that deputies struggled to locate the victim.
“The victim, when he was shot, he ran off into some woods off East McIntosh Road. He got down in the woods and got disoriented. He had his cell phone with him, and he was talking to dispatch, but he wasn’t able to tell them where he was,” he said. “All he could say is that he was in the woods and he could see a tower.”
The wounded man was able to provide another key piece of information – when he could hear patrol car sirens.
“We would have an officer hit a siren to see if he could hear it. At one point, the dispatcher even said we had to be close to him because they could hear the sirens,” Dix said. “After what seemed like an eternity, but it was probably only ten minutes or so, we were able to ping his phone and locate him, get him with EMS, get him medical treatment, get him loaded up and flown out.”
Throughout this time, the victim’s condition appeared to be rapidly deteriorating, lending greater urgency to the search.
“At different points, according to the dispatcher, it sounded like he was about to lose consciousness. It was really a matter of urgency,” Dix said. “It was kind of unusual. That’s the first time I’ve had that happen or seen that happen. Our folks were up there desperately trying to find him before he bled out, and they did an outstanding job.”
Dix did not have a status update on the victim and neither party had been identified at the time this article was published.
The GRIP will continue to follow this incident and report additional information as it becomes available.
Please consider financially supporting The GRIP. The news you find in The GRIP is free for all. You’ll never be hindered by a paywall or limited to only a few articles each month. That’s because knowledge CANNOT be a commodity available only to those with the ability to purchase it. While the news will always be free for all, it is far from free to produce. That’s why The GRIP needs your support. Your support will enable The GRIP to continue to provide relevant news in your community and beyond. It’s quick and painless. Just click this link: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16902623 All support will be greatly appreciated, whether a small one-time donation or recurring monthly gift. Thank you!
Booking photo provided by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office
STAFF REPORT :::
A Spalding County man has been arrested after a relative reported being brutally attacked, bound and robbed.
The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division on Oct. 7 responded to the area of Kendall Drive and Glory Road to meet with Kenneth Palmore who reported he had been robbed while at the 20 West Road residence of his nephew, 43-year-old Demetrice Coggins.
Palmore told deputies that he had been hit over the head, tied up with duct tape, held against his will and robbed before finally being released.
The victim was then interviewed by investigators at the Sheriff’s Office.
“During the interview, the victim told Investigators that his nephew, Demetrice Coggins, demanded money from him and when he said no, Coggins hit him in the head and knocked him out,” said Sheriff Darrell Dix. “While he was unconscious, Coggins bound him in a chair with duct tape and refused to release him. According to the victim, he stayed this way for several hours before finally being untied and robbed of his of cash and debit cards by Coggins.”
Based on the information Palmore provided, investigators obtained a search warrant for Coggins residence.
Authorities say Coggins’ criminal background includes multiple arrests for previous assaults, and at the time of this alleged incident, he had an active bond stemming from a prior case.
Based on this history, the SCSO activated its SWAT Team, negotiators and criminal investigators to attempt to affect a peaceful surrender.
After a briefing at the Sheriff’s Office, SWAT operators established a perimeter at Coggins’ residence and a negotiator began calling out to the suspect on a loudspeaker.
“We called to him for approximately three hours and received no response from him even though there were strong indicators that he was in the house. We eventually decided to make entry, and as we approached the side door of the residence we were met by Coggins just inside the doorway. His girlfriend, identified as Carlissa Dixon, could be seen standing in a hallway behind him,” Dix said. “We began giving Coggins verbal commands and he decided that he did not want to comply and surrender. Because of his decision to not surrender as ordered, our SWAT Operators had to go hands on with him to take him into custody. He was taken into custody without any injuries to him or officers. His girlfriend, Carlissa Dixon, stated to the officers on scene that while our negotiators were outside calling for him to surrender, they both heard us. She said that Coggins was holding her against her will, would not allow her to respond, answer her phone as we attempted to call her, or leave the house. I guess he thought we’d just go away or vanish if he didn’t answer us or make the choice to surrender. I guess he thought wrong because it didn’t work out the way he wanted it to.”
After Coggins was taken into custody, a search of his residence yielded evidence of the alleged crime, investigators said.
“Our uniform deputies, investigators, SWAT operators and negotiators, and crime scene investigators did an outstanding job from the first call to the conclusion of this incident,” Dix said. “Because of their hard work and training it ended well and no one was injured.”
Coggins has been charged with aggravated assault, kidnapping with bodily injury, false imprisonment and robbery.
Please consider financially supporting The GRIP. The news you find in The GRIP is free for all. You’ll never be hindered by a paywall or limited to only a few articles each month. That’s because knowledge CANNOT be a commodity available only to those with the ability to purchase it. While the news will always be free for all, it is far from free to produce. That’s why The GRIP needs your support. Your support will enable The GRIP to continue to provide relevant news in your community and beyond. It’s quick and painless. Just click this link: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16902623 All support will be greatly appreciated, whether a small one-time donation or recurring monthly gift. Thank you!
