GBI Investigating Use of Force in Chatham County

Savannah, GA (December 15, 2022) – The GBI was requested by the Chatham County Police Department to conduct a use of force investigation that took place at a home on Fort Argyle Court in Savannah, GA, on December 13, 2022.

Preliminary information indicates that at 1:30 p.m., the Chatham County Police Department and EMS responded to a 911 call about a man in a mental health crisis. When they arrived, they encountered Mark McKinley Stanton, age 65, who became irate and pointed a handgun, threatening to shoot the officers if they did not leave. Officers and the 911 caller backed out of the home while Stanton barricaded himself inside. Officers requested assistance from the Chatham County SWAT Team.

Both the Chatham County and Savannah Police Department SWAT teams arrived on scene. Chatham County authorities obtained a search warrant for the home. After continued attempts to contact Stanton were unsuccessful, the SWAT team deployed gas into the home. Stanton responded by shooting at officers, striking law enforcement vehicles and neighboring houses.

After several hours of ineffective negotiations, the SWAT team went inside the home at 8:00 p.m. SWAT members encountered Stanton in a bedroom with a gun in his hand. Stanton ignored verbal commands and resisted arrest. Officers used less lethal weapons to gain compliance of Stanton and he was eventually handcuffed and removed from the home. Shortly after being taken into custody, SWAT members noticed Stanton became unresponsive and attempted to render first aid at the scene. Stanton was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. No officers or civilians were injured during the incident. No officers fired their weapons. Various handguns were recovered from inside the home.

The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy on Stanton. The GBI will conduct an independent investigation of the use of force. When the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Eastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.