A sheriff’s deputy in Middle Georgia has died, authorities said, after he was shot during a traffic stop in Cordele early Wednesday, the first member of law enforcement in the state to be killed in the line of duty this year.
“A Crisp County sheriff’s deputy met evil as he patrolled the streets,” Sheriff Billy Hancock said in a statement while surrounded by members of other agencies.
After the shooting, the suspect is accused of taking the deputy’s patrol vehicle, which law enforcement pursued through several Georgia counties, according to the sheriff’s office. The GBI has been called to investigate the incident.
The deputy was conducting a traffic stop on a “suspicious” vehicle in the middle of U.S. 280 around 3:40 a.m. when he determined it was allegedly stolen and the suspect was wanted for several burglaries, Hancock said.
After getting out, the deputy was shot by the suspect, who took his patrol vehicle and drove away, according to the sheriff’s office. The deputy was taken in critical condition to Crisp Regional Hospital in Cordele, where he died, Hancock said.
Monroe County deputies eventually arrested the suspect on I-475, and the deputy’s patrol vehicle was recovered. Both the suspect and deputy have not been publicly identified.
The deputy is the second Georgia law enforcement member to die in the line of duty this year, and the first to be killed, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page that tracks law enforcement deaths. In January, Master Patrol Officer C.J. Williams with the Cairo Police Department died after suffering a medial emergency during a foot pursuit.
The Crisp County Sheriff’s Office also lost a deputy in October 2020 due to complications from COVID-19. Cpl. Avery Hillman had served with the sheriff’s office for 30 years and was assigned to the Hospital Division. He was also a veteran of the Georgia National Guard.
In 2022, five Georgia law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, including two Cobb County deputies who were shot. In addition, three law enforcement members were killed in car crashes and five other officers died from medical issues, according to the Officer Down website.
An investigation is ongoing into Wednesday’s shooting.
Just after 1 p.m., the sheriff’s office said the deputy’s body was being escorted back to Crisp County. He was taken Hughes & Wright Funeral Home in Cordele, where the public is invited to pay their respects.
“In the midst of tragedy, our agency has been graced with overwhelming support. We would fail miserably at thanking every individual agency and organization that responded, reached out or offered support,” the sheriff’s office added, while acknowledging some they believed deserved “honorable” mention. “We would like to also thank the multitude of law enforcement organizations that have sent representatives and offered condolences.”
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