GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Greenville, GA

May 17, 2020 Update:

The subject has been identified as Wallace Dean Staples, age 42.

Greenville, GA (May 16,2020) – On Saturday, May 16, 2020, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested by the Greenville Police Department to investigate an officer involved shooting.

Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 7:18 p.m., a female resident at an address on Tobe Harris Street, Greenville, GA called 911 and reported that a shirtless male was in her yard waiving a gun around towards her. The male subsequently took off running towards Martin Street.

A second 911 call was made from a male resident at an address on Martin Street. The caller reported that a shirtless male with a gun in his hand was leaning up against the caller’s car that was parked in the front yard. The male with the gun reportedly was making comments that he was wanted by the police.

Responding officers located the male subject at the Martin Street address. Upon the officer’s arrival, the male subject walked down the driveway with the gun in his hand, stopped and sat down. The male subject started pointing the gun at himself and made the comment that the officers were going to have to shoot him. The officers gave the male subject verbal commands to drop the gun, but he did not comply with the officers’ commands. The male subject pointed the gun at the officers. One officer fired a single shot at the male subject, resulting in his death.

The officers were not injured during this incident.

The GBI will continue its independent investigation.  Upon completion of the investigation, the case will be provided to the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.