Off-duty police officer working security fatally shoots liquor store robbery suspect
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. January 3 2019
An off-duty law enforcement officer was on duty working security at a liquor store when he was involved in a shoot-out, police have confirmed.
Authorities say that they are investigating the year’s first officer-involved shooting after police said a when a robber walked into a DeKalb County liquor store, shooting at customers and workers.
The owner of the store said that he is so thankful that the officer quickly took action to stop the gunman and to protect his employees and customers.
Elias Gabi and his family said in the decade they have owned Big John’s package store, this is the first time a shooting has happened there.
Authorities confirm that the security guard was an off-duty Pine Lake Police Department officer who opened fire on the man in the middle of the crowded DeKalb County liquor store just after 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
“I’m behind the cash register helping a customer out. Guy comes in, points a gun at me, says, ‘Everybody get down.’ I don’t think he had a chance to get the whole word out,” employee Ture Ayanno said.
Surveillance video from inside the store shows the officer rise from his seat in the back of the store and return fire as the man knocked over a customer and ran out the door.
The man collapsed outside the store and was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital on Tuesday.
Because the security officer is a full-time police officer, the GBI has opened its first officer-involved shooting investigation of 2019.
The family-owned business said it hires security for days when it expects the store to be crowded. It said the holiday investment is worth every penny.
Authorities said they haven’t been able to identify the man. No one else was injured.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is continuing their investigation.
