GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Barrow County

UPDATE: The man involved in this OIS with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office has been identified as Steven Jesse Dylan Thompson, 29, of Auburn, GA.

Auburn, GA (June 24, 2021) – On Thursday, June 24, 2021, at approximately 6:10 a.m., the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested by the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) to investigate an officer involved shooting.

Preliminary information indicates that at around 5:30 a.m., a Barrow County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to stop a Ford Fusion in Auburn, GA.  The male driver did not stop, and a vehicle chase began.  At the intersection near Brown’s Bridge Road and Bradford Park Lane, the driver of the Ford Fusion left the roadway and crashed into a power pole.  The man did not get out of the vehicle, but he looked out of the wrecked vehicle with a handgun. As other responding officers arrived, he threatened to shoot himself if officers approached him.  Officers gave several commands for him to put the weapon down so they could assist him.  At one point, he started firing at the officers.  BCSO deputies and Auburn Police Department officers returned fire, striking him. The male driver was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

There was a female passenger in the car during the chase and when the wreck occurred. When she crawled out of the car, she immediately surrendered and was taken into custody.  She was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries from the wreck.

An autopsy will be conducted at the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur at a later date.

No deputies or officers were injured in this incident.

The GBI will continue its independent investigation  Once completed, it will be provided to the Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney for review.