A man suspected of armed robbery was shot and killed by a Rome police officer on Friday following a high-stakes pursuit, officials said. The deadly encounter began after law enforcement responded to a robbery report at the Hi-Tech convenience store located at 401 S Broad Street just after 11 a.m., according to statements from the Rome Police Department.
Kelvin Gerard Jackson, a 34-year-old Augusta resident, reportedly brandished a firearm at the store clerk coercing him to fill a bag with money; the suspect fled the scene when law enforcement arrived, leading a police officer on a chase down adjacent McGhee Street, and during the ensuing confrontation, the officer discharged their weapon, fatally striking Jackson who died at the scene Atlanta News First reported.
Police recovered a gun near Jackson's body, with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation taking over to conduct a full review of the incident as surveillance footage corroborates the sequence of events leading up to the shooting; the GBI is also expected to perform an autopsy to aid in the ongoing investigation, as detailed by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The involved officer has been placed on paid administrative leave, a standard procedure in the wake of police-involved shootings, the Rome Police Department Chief Denise Downer-McKinney assured that "The Rome Police Department understands the value of every human life and will work diligently to maintain transparency throughout this investigation," Rome PD Chief Denise Downer-McKinney committed to transparency as the case unfolds according to officials, aiming to provide timely information as it becomes available, a sentiment echoed by both media reports.
