ATLANTA, GEORGIA — A man is dead after allegedly burglarizing the home of a sheriff’s deputy, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The incident occurred just before midnight.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office deputy was returning to his home following a shift when he received a Ring notification and video of a man breaking into his home. The deputy was in his personal vehicle, but was still wearing his uniform and duty belt.
Upon arriving at his home, he observed the suspect walking away from the house carrying tools and other items. He followed the man along a gravel road and when the man entered a wooded area, the deputy exited his vehicle and confronted him. A physical altercation followed, during which the deputy shot the man.
Responding officers arrived to find the deputy performing CPR on the wounded man. He was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital where he later succumbed to his wounds. The deputy suffered a minor ankle injury in the altercation.
Neighbors who awoke to the sight of a crime scene stretching in front of their homes expressed shock and surprise after learning what happened.
Antoinette Emerson said, “It’s crazy. You know, you have to wake up to stuff like this. You know you’ve got to feel comfortable being in your own home.” She said that she may need to do more to make sure her home is safe. “It’s making me aware that I probably need to get alarms or cameras and stuff like that set up around my house.”
When neighbor Marilyn Gaynor was asked if this type of activity was typical, she replied, “No this is the first.” When asked what that meant for her, she said, “It’s scary because I’m sleeping right here, and my bedroom is right in front…it’s too close to home.”
