A 17-year-old, identified as Stephon Ford, was fatally shot by police officers in Jonesboro, Georgia.
On Saturday, September 2, around 2 a.m., Ford and two other individuals were allegedly engaging in suspicious activities at a local hotel. Jonesboro police officers intervened, and all three individuals tried to escape. Although two were apprehended, Ford evaded arrest.
In response, a K-9 unit from the Clayton County Police Department was brought in to assist. The dog located Ford in a wooded vicinity nearby. Officers commanded Ford to surrender, but he reportedly drew a handgun and fired at the dog. With Ford still at large, officers established a security perimeter. Meanwhile, the injured K-9 was rushed to an animal hospital but did not survive.
Inside the designated perimeter, officers once more confronted Ford. They issued several commands for him to relinquish his weapon. However, when Ford is believed to have pointed his firearm at them, officers responded with deadly force, culminating in Ford’s death. The incident concluded without any injuries to police officers or bystanders. The situation is now being scrutinized by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.