Chaos erupted in Quitman, GA, leading the GBI to step in after an officer-involved shooting left 18-year-old Brian Williams wounded. The incident unfolded on North Quincy Street when local police, searching for a vehicle linked to an earlier shooting, confronted Williams who fled and was subsequently shot by an officer, according to a statement from the GBI.
The situation began on April 12, as officers from the Quitman Police Department were patrolling the area in search of any signs of the vehicle involved in an incident where multiple shots were fired at a car hosting several occupants. The press release details that two officers in a Quitman Police vehicle attempted to stop the suspected car. Once their vehicle's emergency lights and sirens were engaged, the passenger, later identified as Williams, exited the vehicle and initiated a foot chase.
Witnesses recounted the suspect dropping an item, speculated to be a weapon, twice while being pursued. Despite the officer's commands, he continued to flee before being shot at least once. Williams managed to escape but was later discovered by additional officers in a nearby yard, hiding in a shed. "The officer gave verbal commands for the subject to stop and get down, but he did not. One officer shot at the subject several times, hitting him at least once. The subject kept running and got away. The officer was not harmed in the incident," mentioned by the GBI.
Williams received medical attention for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound at the scene and was transported to a local hospital for further treatment. The investigation into the shooting remains active and ongoing. After its completion, the case is set to be reviewed by District Attorney Brad Shealy of the Southern Judicial Circuit, the GBI reports.
