Former DeKalb County officer negotiates guilty plea in fatal shooting of unarmed veteran Anthony Hill after decade-long legal battle

DECATUR, GA—Robert Olsen, an ex-DeKalb County Police Officer, has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in a negotiated  deal in the shooting death of unarmed Air Force veteran Anthony Hill, 26, closing a decade-long legal battle including appeals that reached the Georgia Supreme Court. 

On  May 28, Olsen, 63, entered the guilty plea to the charge of Aggravated Assault in connection with the 2015 death of Hill, who was in the midst of a mental health crisis when Olsen shot him outside of the Chamblee Tucker Road apartment complex where Hill lived.   

“It has been more than a decade since Anthony Hill’s life was cut tragically short.  Defendant Olsen’s guilty plea brings this long, arduous chapter to a close and through it he has finally accepted some responsibility for his actions,” DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston said in announcing Olsen’s guilty plea.    “I am proud of the work my team has done to secure justice for Anthony Hill and his family.  We have stood with them every step of the way and made this difficult decision only after lengthy discussions with Anthony’s family.  We hope this plea provides them some peace,” said District Attorney Sherry Boston.  

Immediately following Olsen’s guilty plea, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson, who presided over the original trial, sentenced him to 15 years to serve 12 years commuted to time served with the balance to be served on probation.  She also sentenced him to complete 100 hours of community service.  Olsen’s 2019 convictions on Making a False Statement and the related Violation of Oath by a Public Officer stand.  

Amos King, who heads the Justice4Veterans group and had advocated for justice for Hill, expressed his disgust with Wednesday’s outcome concerning the case. King recalled that Olsen’s original conviction was overturned by the Georgia Appeals Court due to multiple errors in the case ultimately allowing the former police officer to request a bond, which was granted in 2024. 

“It means nothing to us. Anthony Hill is gone never to return. He(Olsen) has been walking around free,” said King. 

According to the investigation, Olsen was dispatched to an apartment complex on Chamblee Tucker Road after multiple 911 calls about a person acting erratically on March 9, 2015. 

When he arrived, Olsen spotted Hill, who was wandering around the complex naked and unarmed. As Olsen approached Hill in his patrol car, Hill began running toward the officer with his hands out. Olsen exited the vehicle and pulled his gun.

While backing away from Hill, Olsen ordered Hill to stop, authorities said. When Hill did not stop, Olsen shot twice, striking Hill once in the neck and once in the chest—killing Hill at the scene.  Olsen initially claimed self-defense, stating Hill had attacked him—a claim later proven false. 

The case went to trial in October 2019, and a DeKalb County Jury convicted Olsen on charges of Aggravated Assault, two counts of Violation of Oath by Public Officer, and Making a False Statement.  

Olsen’s defense team appealed his conviction on Aggravated Assault and one count of Violation of Oath by Public Officer, arguing the State should not have been allowed to present the DeKalb County Police Department’s Use of Force Policy as evidence in the case.   Despite arguments from the State, the Court of Appeals overturned Olsen’s convictions on those charges and ruled that while Olsen could not be retried for Violation of Oath by a Public Officer, he could be retried on the Aggravated Assault charge.  The District Attorney’s Office appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court was denied, clearing the way for a pretrial that was ultimately resolved through the plea deal. 

The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Pete Johnson, with assistance from Director of Major Crimes Lance Cross, Senior Assistant District Attorney Buffy Thomas, former Chief Investigator Steve Barresi, and Victim Advocate Tina Williamson.  The Georgia Bureau of Investigation led the initial investigation.