ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA – Two men were arrested in a late-night shootout on Saturday (Nov. 30) that left one of the suspects and a Georgia State Patrol trooper injured. The incident stemmed from an attempted street racing traffic stop, officials said. Three law enforcement agencies worked the incident: The Georgia State Patrol, Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations(GBI).
The GBI is now overseeing the officer-involved shooting.
The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Georgia State Patrol in a street racing traffic stop that led to the shootout around 11:40 p.m. at a Shell gas station located in the 2300 block of Sigman Road.
Both, the suspect who was shot as well as the trooper, were taken to hospitals, authorities said.
The Georgia State Patrol said the incident unfolded as troopers were attempting a traffic stop on a person who was street racing on I-20. The driver of the SUV, later identified as Tony Ward, 34, of Atlanta, pulled off of I-2O at the Sigman Road exit and drove into a Shell gas station, circling the gas pumps to elude the troopers. The driver got out of the vehicle and ran, authorities said. Rockdale deputies arrested the driver a few businesses away from the gas station and turned him over to Georgia State Patrol troopers.
The passenger, later identified as Chester Williams, 41, of Jonesboro, also exited the vehicle and shot at the troopers. One of the troopers returned fire, hitting Williams, who was arrested and taken to the hospital.
Once the GBI’s investigation is completed, the case will be given to the Rockdale County District Attorney to review, the GBI stated.