A northwest Atlanta man is facing charges after a shooting on the 800 block of Oak Street NW left him wounded late Friday morning, according to police.
Officers said 38-year-old Brandon Harper fired at another man shortly before 11:20 a.m. but missed. The other man then shot back, hitting Harper multiple times. Harper was taken to a hospital following the exchange of gunfire, police said.
As reported by Atlanta News First, the confrontation unfolded around 11:20 a.m. on Oak Street NW, where investigators say Harper opened fire first and was the only person charged. The outlet reports that the other man involved will not face charges.
Georgia law and self-defense
Under Georgia law, a person is justified in using force when they reasonably believe it is necessary to defend themselves or a third person against another's imminent use of unlawful force, per O.C.G.A. 16-3-21. Those standards, along with related rules that remove a duty to retreat in many situations, often sit at the center of decisions about whether a shooting is treated as self-defense or a crime.
What happens next
Police did not immediately specify what charges Harper is facing, and booking or court records were not yet available when the report was published, according to Atlanta News First. Prosecutors will review the Atlanta Police Department investigation and decide whether to pursue charges.
