Crime & Safety
2 Dead, 1 Injured In 3 Police Shootings Across GA: GBI
Three weekend police shootings throughout Georgia killed two people and injured another person, prompting probes from state authorities.
![Three Georgia police shootings have sparked state probes after two people were killed and another person was injured during the weekend.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/26200734/20240812/102047/styles/patch_image/public/police-lights-1___12091922231.jpg)
GEORGIA — Three Georgia police shootings have sparked state probes after two people were killed and another person was injured, authorities said.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is overseeing probes into shootings in Cobb, DeKalb and Clarke counties, authorities said. No officers were injured in any of the shootings, the GBI said.
- The first shooting occurred around 11:30 p.m. Friday in the 2600 block of Cobb Parkway in Smyrna.
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The GBI said Cobb County Police were in the area searching for Nathain Jenkins, a 32-year-old Valdosta man who authorities said had outstanding warrants of an unknown nature. Jenkins was located inside of a store, the GBI said.
Cobb Police said officers tried to make contact with Jenkins, who police said was armed with a gun. During the encounter, police said Jenkins was shot.
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He was then taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
A Cobb County Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy, the GBI said. Agents found a handgun at the scene belonging to Jenkins, the GBI said.
- Two days later, a 26-year-old man died in Athens after being shot by Athens-Clarke County Police, the GBI said.
Officers responded around 1:15 a.m. Sunday near the intersection of Lexington Road and Gaines School Road in Athens, the GBI said.
Someone called 911 to notify authorities that a man was waving around a machine gun, the GBI said. Authorities identified the man as Marquavious Sims, 26, of Athens.
The GBI said Sims ran across a road and into a gas station parking lot, leading to a police chase. Police repeatedly shouted for Sims to drop his gun, the GBI said, but Sims was accused of turning around and shooting at the officers.
Two officers shot back, "hitting Sims multiple times," the GBI said. Officers then gave aid until emergency medical technicians arrived; but, Sims was pronounced dead at a local hospital, the GBI said.
Sims was set to be taken to the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur for an autopsy, the GBI said.
- Then, about eight hours later, DeKalb County Police were involved in a police shooting that injured a person accused of pointing a shotgun at himself before pointing the gun at officers.
The GBI said officers responded around 9 a.m. Sunday in the 800 block of Southland Point in Stone Mountain after someone called 911 and said her son "was threatening to harm himself."
The 23-year-old Atlanta man was armed with a shotgun and was found in a cul-de-sac near his home, the GBI said.
The man was accused of "holding a shotgun to his head." The GBI said police tried communicating with the man from their patrol cars, but the man started walking toward the officers while pointing the shotgun at them.
Two officers shot the man, and officers gave aid to the man until emergency medical personnel arrived, the GBI said.
The man was taken to Grady Hospital, where he was in stable condition, the GBI said.
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