GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Tift County - UPDATE

UPDATE: (June 7, 2021) The injured man involved in this OIS is identified as Justin Freeman, age 40, of Robbins, North Carolina. He will be transported to the Tift County Jail upon release from the hospital. The Tift County deputy that was injured has been released from the hospital.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

Tift County, GA (June 4, 2021) – On Friday, June 4, 2021, the GBI received a request from the Tift County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an officer involved shooting investigation. 

Preliminary information indicates that early Friday morning, Tift County sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call about a disturbance by two men in an Eldorado neighborhood located in the 1400 block of Tifton Eldorado Road.  The men were reportedly knocking on multiple doors.   Deputies located the men and attempted to identify them.  During the incident, one of the men fired shots at a deputy, striking the deputy multiple times.  Another deputy returned fire, striking the man.  Both the injured deputy and injured man are in serious condition. 

The second man was taken into custody. 

The GBI will continue to conduct an independent investigation.  Once the investigation is complete, it will be submitted to the Tift County District Attorney’s Office for review.