An officer-involved shooting in Ringgold, Georgia, is currently under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), following a request from the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office. The incident, which took place in the late hours of Sunday, resulted in the death of Dameion Coonrod, a 32-year-old man from Chattanooga, Tennessee. In addition to the fatality, one deputy was reportedly injured during the confrontation.
According to the official GBI report, deputies and a Georgia State Patrol trooper responded to a 911 distress call around 10:25 p.m., which alerted them to someone discharging a firearm outside. The authorities spoke with the individual who made the call and traced the activity to a residence located on Karen Drive. When the officials arrived at the residence, they confronted Dameion Coonrod who was attempting to leave the area in a Genesis SUV.
The situation escalated when Coonrod tried to drive away while a deputy was positioned by the vehicle. A Taser was deployed in an effort to prevent his escape, but it did not stop Coonrod from continuing to try to leave. Subsequently, the deputy discharged his weapon, and the other officers at the scene also opened fire on the SUV, which led to Coonrod being shot. Afterward, the SUV veered off, crashed into a tree and the house. A firearm was later discovered inside the vehicle by the authorities.
The aftermath of the incident saw the injured deputy transported to a local hospital for treatment, from which they were later released. Coonrod was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital. His body has since been designated for an autopsy at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office. There was also a woman present in the SUV at the time of the shooting; she, however, was not injured. The GBI is conducting an independent investigation into the events and will forward their findings to the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
