GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Columbus

Columbus, GA (March 5, 2022) – The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Columbus, Georgia. The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on Saturday, March 5, 2022. One deputy and two men were shot during this incident.

The preliminary information indicates that on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at around 3:24 p.m., Columbus Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a stolen car occupied by multiple individuals. The driver of the car did not stop and a brief pursuit began. Police ended the pursuit and the driver of the car continued driving away from the area.

Shortly thereafter, the same car was seen by a Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office deputy in the vicinity of Andrews Road and East Central Street. The driver of the car hit the deputy’s SUV at which time the individual(s) in the car shot at the deputy multiple times, striking him once in the shoulder. The deputy returned gunfire, striking two of the individuals in the car. They were identified as Adarrius Hamilton, 17, and Claudie Thompson, 17. Hamilton was shot in the arm and Thompson was shot in the leg. A third individual who was in the car and not injured was identified as Vicente Perez-Lopez, 17. A bystander working in an automotive shop appears to have been shot in the leg by gunfire. Three handguns were recovered from the stolen car.

The deputy was treated at the scene for his non-life-threatening gunshot wound and transported to a local hospital in Columbus. Thompson, Hamilton, and bystander were also transported to a local hospital in Columbus and treated for their non-life-threatening injuries.   

Police have charged Hamilton, Thompson, and Perez-Lopez with aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and obstruction of an officer. Police have also charged Hamilton and Perez-Lopez with theft by receiving and Thompson with theft by taking related to the stolen car.

The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Anyone with information regarding this investigation may contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 2 Field Office at (706) 565-7888. Tips can also be submitted by calling 1(800) 597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. Once complete, the case file will be provided to the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.