Police in Georgia have released dash cam footage showing the moment a man is shot dead after he led an officer on a chase, crashed his car and then lunged at the cop with a knife.
The incident happened Thursday on Highway 411 in Rabun County. The Clayton Police Department released the dash cam footage on Friday showing the moments leading up to the shooting.
In the video, shot from inside a Clayton Police officer’s cruiser, a man driving a silver car is seen speeding down Highway 411. Authorities said he was going 68mph in a 45 zone.
A police chase in Rabun County, Georgia Thursday night led to the driver being fatally shot by an officer
As the suspect tried to flee an officer he crashed his car in the driveway of Mountain View Heath and Rehab
Dash cam video, shot from inside a Clayton police officer’s cruiser, shows the moments leading up to when an officer fired on the suspect killing him
As the cop approached the vehicle, the suspect kicks out the back window and climbs onto the vehicle
The man then jumps off the car lunging at the officer. He apparently had an object in his hand
When the officer puts his lights and siren on signaling for the driver to pull over, the man flies through an intersection and takes off down the street. As the driver whips around a curve he loses control of the car and crashes in the driveway of Mountain View Heath and Rehab.
The officer is seen in the video getting out of his cruiser and slowly approaching the car with his gun drawn. The suspect then kicks out the back window of his car, climbs onto the roof of the vehicle and jumps off the car lunging towards the cop. The suspect falls on the ground as the officer backpedals away from him.
The cop yells for the man to stay on the ground, but the suspect jumps to his feet and dives at the officer again while making a slashing motion with his hand.
It appears the suspect is holding an object in his hand as he rushes towards the cop. Clayton Police Chief Andy Strait later identified the object as a knife.
As the man runs toward the officer several shots are fired. The suspect hits the police car and falls to the ground in front of the cruiser. The cop holds the man at gunpoint until backup arrives seconds later.
The man falls on the ground and the officer yells for him to stay down but the suspect jumps up and dives at the officer again
As the man approaches, the officer yells he will shoot. Clayton Police chief later said the suspect was trying to attack the officer with a knife
The officer fires several shots at the suspect. The man is seen in the video hitting the police car and falling to the ground
Despite efforts by the cop who fired his weapon and paramedics, the suspect died at the scene.
Strait told Fox News that the officer, whose identity was not released, warned the suspect that he would shoot if he lunged at him.
‘The suspect says ‘I don’t care’ at one point, continues at the officer in a slashing motion, stabbing motion, within less than a foot and the officer was forced to shoot,’ he said. ‘And unfortunately, the suspect was deceased at the scene.’
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called to look into the officer-involved shooting.
The officer holds the suspect at gunpoint until backup arrives. Despite efforts to save the man, he died at the scene
Authorities have not released the name of the involved officer (pictured on the left) or the suspect
‘We always want an outside source. And the GBI came in, of course, did our investigation for us,’ Strait said.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are for everyone involved in this situation. It’s truly a very sad situation.’
It remains unclear why the suspect fled police or tried to attack the officer. Authorities have not released the man’s identity.