GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Douglas County

Douglasville, GA (July 6, 2021) - The man involved in this OIS with Douglas County Sheriff's Office has been identified as Jesus Rodriquez, 23.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

Douglasville, GA (July 1, 2021) – On Thursday, July 1, 2021, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an officer involved shooting investigation.

Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 9:00 a.m., an employee of an emissions inspection station heard a suspicious noise at the car dealership on the other side of the building located at 2100 Fairburn Road in Douglasville, Douglas County. The employee opened an office door and saw a man who made some type of statement about needing a car. The man also had something in his hand.  The employee quickly closed the door and called 911. Two responding Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies saw a man matching the man’s description walking away from the business, back toward I-20, along Highway 92. When the man saw the deputies, he turned away from the highway and went up a business driveway. The man crossed a chain-link fence and went into the backyard of a residence located at 2049 Skyview Circle, Douglasville. The deputies made contact with the man in the backyard and discovered he was armed with a knife. One of the deputies attempted to subdue the man by using a Taser, which was ineffective. At the same time, the man advanced towards a second deputy with the knife. That deputy fired at the man, striking him. The deputies then administered first aid until emergency medical personnel arrived. The man died while being transported to the hospital. ID of the man is pending next of kin notification.

The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Upon completion, it will be turned over to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for review.