DECATUR, GA — A man accused of shooting a K9 deputy in Cartersville, then running from Bartow County and U.S. Marshals Service officers in DeKalb County, was shot to death by the officers near Leroy Scott Drive, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations said Saturday.
The GBI said the Bartow County Drug Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service were in Decatur Friday searching for Geoffrey Walker, 30.
Walker was accused of shooting and injuring a K9 with the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office during a police chase Thursday that began on Highway 411 near the Interstate 75 interchange in Cartersville.
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Deputies said Walker, who had family violence warrants issued against him, had run from Highway 411, prompting deputies to release the K9 that Walker was accused of shooting. The K9 was taken to a nearby animal hospital for treatment.
The GBI said Walker was found around 4:45 p.m. Friday in a DeKalb hotel. He ran through neighborhoods and into the woods near the sanitation department located near Leroy Scott, the GBI said.
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“Once found, officers gave commands to Walker to drop his gun, but Walker refused to drop the gun. Walker fired his weapon, and officers returned fire,” the GBI said in a news release.
Walker died at the scene, the GBI said. A medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death. No officers were injured in the shooting.
Once the GBI’s investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office for review.
This is the 79th shooting involving an officer the GBI has been requested to investigate this year.
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