A late-night traffic stop on Windy Hill Road in Cobb County turned deadly Friday, June 5, when police shot and killed an armed driver after a rollover crash and an exchange of gunfire. Authorities say the Cadillac SUV flipped near a home just west of Osbourne Court, the driver refused to get out, and the encounter escalated into shots fired on both sides. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to review what happened.
How authorities say the stop unfolded
Around 10:20 p.m., Cobb County officers tried to pull over what they described as a reckless driver in a Cadillac SUV on Windy Hill Road. The vehicle took off instead of stopping, then lost control and overturned near a residence west of Osbourne Court, according to Atlanta News First.
After the crash, the driver did not immediately exit the overturned SUV. Atlanta News First reports that he then fired a gun at officers, who returned fire. He was shot as he tried to climb out of the wreck while still holding the weapon, authorities said. The driver died at the scene.
GBI called in to investigate
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been asked to conduct an independent probe of the shooting, which officials say is standard procedure in officer-involved incidents. Per a GBI press release about a separate May 27 officer-involved shooting in Cobb County, the bureau investigates such encounters and, once finished, forwards the case file to the Cobb County district attorney for review.
Where this fits locally
This latest shooting lands in a county that has already seen several high-profile officer-involved cases in recent months. In February, officers in Marietta fatally shot an armed man on a residential block, as detailed in an earlier report on an armed man shot dead by Cobb cops. FOX 5 Atlanta has also followed related investigations and community reactions. Together, those cases have kept local attention focused on how and when officers use force.
What happens next
According to a GBI press release, the bureau will document the events of the shooting and turn its completed investigative file over to the Cobb County district attorney for review. Atlanta News First reports that no officers were injured in the exchange of gunfire, and authorities say they plan to release additional details as the investigation moves forward.
