GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Atlanta

Atlanta, GA (March 17, 2020) – On Tuesday, March 17, 2020, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested by the Atlanta Police Department (APD) to investigate an officer involved shooting.

Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 7:56 a.m., APD received numerous calls regarding a man displaying and firing a gun in the area of 1049 Juniper Street, NE. Minutes later, APD officers made contact with William Simpkins, (AKA El Shaddai Dion Simpkins), 39, of Atlanta, in the 1200 block of Piedmont Avenue, NE. Officers attempted to talk with Simpkins, who had a handgun. During their contact, Simpkins shot at officers and the officers returned fire. 

Simpkins fled to the intersection of Piedmont Avenue, NE and S. Prado, NE where APD officers again fired their weapons, striking Simpkins. Simpkins was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.

During the incident, one APD officer received a grazing head wound and another officer was shot in his foot. Both officers were treated at Grady Memorial Hospital and released.

The GBI will continue its independent investigation of the officer involved shooting. Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for review.