A Georgia State Patrol trooper was involved in a shooting Friday afternoon in unincorporated Newton County near Porterdale, according to authorities. The incident left at least one person seriously wounded, and a medevac helicopter lifted from the campus of Liberty Middle School to carry the patient to a hospital. Officials said the trooper was not shot.
According to Atlanta News First, a GSP spokesperson said the shooting happened outside Porterdale near Liberty Middle School in unincorporated Covington and triggered a large police response. The outlet reported the suspect, whose name and condition had not been publicly released, was life-flighted from the school's grounds.
GBI to investigate
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been asked to conduct an independent probe, which is standard when an officer is involved in a shooting. As the agency's press releases make clear, the GBI completes its investigation and forwards its case file to the appropriate district attorney for review, a process the agency has described in prior officer-involved shooting statements.
GSP under scrutiny
The State Patrol has faced criticism in recent years over its pursuit and use-of-force policies, as advocates and lawmakers have pushed for tighter rules to reduce civilian harm. Reporting by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found the patrol was involved in thousands of pursuits over a five-year span and prompted renewed calls for policy changes.
What officials have said so far
Atlanta News First reports that authorities have not released the suspect's identity, the trooper's name, or the hospital where the patient was taken. Local law enforcement and school officials had not issued additional public statements beyond the initial GSP account as of the outlet's initial report.
The GBI's independent inquiry will determine whether further action is warranted. Once complete, the agency typically forwards its findings to the local district attorney's office for review. This story will be updated as agencies release formal reports and statements.
