La'Andre Thomas, a former University of Memphis football player, was shot and killed by a police officer in Georgia, according to reports from authorities and news outlets. Action News 5 states that the 27-year-old former defensive back was involved in the incident last Thursday, after Sandy Springs officers responded to an assault call in the Dunwoody Place neighborhood.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers encountered Thomas, who reportedly produced a handgun. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and FOX13 Memphis, an officer then shot Thomas, critically injuring him. He was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
A woman reported being assaulted while walking her dog around 10:30 a.m., prompting a police response. Thomas was identified as a suspect and located at a nearby bus stop. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, as cited by Local Memphis, stated that Thomas produced a gun from his waistband, leading an officer to shoot him.
Thomas’s death has prompted a new investigation. He played for the Memphis Tigers from 2017 to 2019, starting all 14 games and recording 63 total tackles in his final season, despite an injury that limited him to four games in 2018. His body has been taken to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
