A 24-year-old man identified as Damario Smith was shot and killed by Fulton County Police officers last Thursday, April 24, according to reports from local authorities and further investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). As per the Fulton County Government, officers arrived around 12:50 p.m. at the 3600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Atlanta in response to a report of suspicious individuals loitering at a location known to be associated with drug activity, as FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
The situation escalated when Smith, wanted for armed robbery and aggravated assault charges, allegedly fled from the police to his vehicle across the street and refused to comply with officers' orders, he reached down, produced a handgun, prompting officers to fire their weapons, after which the officials attempted life-saving measures; Smith was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead, as 11Alive confirmed.
Smith's encounter with the police followed a period on the run after he removed his ankle monitor—a condition of his bond since 2022, prior to the incident on April 24, Smith had evaded authorities, leading up to the fatal confrontation which the GBI is now independently investigating before presenting their findings to the Fulton County district attorney's office, FOX 5 Atlanta and 11Alive reported.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has not yet completed its inquiry into the shooting. Details regarding the officers' response to the reported suspicious activities and the critical moments leading to Smith’s death remain under review. According to the GBI, officers gave Smith commands, which he did not comply with; Smith then entered his car and pulled a handgun. A firearm was recovered at the scene. This information was released as part of the initial investigation. The GBI stated that an independent investigation is ongoing to establish all relevant facts. Both agencies have provided updates to the public, but no further confirmed information is available at this time.
