The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is conducting a probe into a fatal officer-involved shooting that transpired in Henry County. According to the GBI's press release, the incident, which resulted in the death of a man named Derrick Rankin, took place on August 27, 2024, at approximately 11:50 a.m., when law enforcement officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant.
Officers from the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Henry County Police Department, were dispatched to a residence on Linden Lane in Stockbridge, Georgia, seeking Rankin, 33, who was wanted for murder in Atlanta. On arrival, as officers approached to arrest Rankin, a shot was fired from the home, hitting a member of the Task Force. The officers shot back during the extraction of their injured colleague, and the Georgia State Patrol SWAT Team was subsequently called to the scene.
The situation escalated when the SWAT team deployed tear gas into the residence, forcing an entry to locate Rankin. He was discovered in the attic with a rifle and, at least one gunshot wound. Medical personnel attempted life-saving measures after Rankin was removed from the premises, however, the GBI confirmed that he was deceased.
An examination of Rankin's body will be completed by the GBI Crime Lab as part of the ongoing investigation, looking to uncover further details of the incident. The results of the investigation will eventually be handed over to the Henry County District Attorney's Office, which will review the evidence, and determine any potential subsequent action.
No further information has been released at this time about the wounded officer's condition, or if there were any other individuals involved in the exchange of gunfire. The GBI has stated that they will conduct a thorough review of the circumstances leading up to, and including the shooting, to ensure a transparent and impartial outcome.
