A Lilburn officer shot a suspected thief in the face and chest at a Family Dollar after the man wrestled away the officer's Taser. And state investigators have been called in to determine if the shooting was justified.
Still, the Lilburn Police department's chief has already issued a statement defending his officer's actions:
"The preliminary investigation shows the officer was defending his own life and his decision to use deadly force was justified," Chief Bruce Hedley stated in a press release.
The incident unfolded at 1:30 p.m. when officers responded to a report of a theft in progress at the Family Dollar at 5279 Lawrenceville Hwy.
An officer encountered the suspect and the suspect allegedly began to fight with the officer, Chief Hedley said.
"The officer pulled out his city issued Taser and the suspect took the officer's Taser from him," Chief Hedley said. "The officer then pulled his service weapon out and shot him twice. The suspect was shot in the chest and the face."
The suspect, whose name has not been released, was in critical condition, the chief said.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office were notified to investigate the case, he said.
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