A Forsyth County sheriff’s deputy shot a burglary suspect because the suspect had pulled a shotgun and was “turning in a manner to point the weapon at the deputy,” Sheriff Ted Paxton told the AJC on Friday.
The deputy fired three times, and 38-year-old Hollis Dean Garmon was hit twice, Paxton said. Garmon was in stable condition at North Fulton Hospital, Paxton said.
The deputy and his partner, who were not identified, have been placed on paid administrative leave while the GBI investigates the shooting.
Garmon had been wanted for weeks on a burglary warrant, Paxton said.
Thursday morning, investigators learned that a mobile home resident in the 4300 block of Keith Bridge Road in Cumming knew Garmon, Paxton said.
“They went to interview the resident to see if they could get information on where Mr. Garmon could be located,” Paxton said. “When they got there, Mr. Garmon was there and that’s when the confrontation started.”
One deputy went to the front door, while the other walked around the side of the home, Paxton said.
“Apparently Mr. Garmon became aware they were there,” Paxton said. “He ran out the back door and went down to the back yard. There was a vehicle there. The deputy saw him run to the vehicle, challenged him to stop, at which point Mr. Garmon opened the [car] door and came out with the shotgun.”
The deputy ordered him to drop the weapon, but Garmon did not, according to Paxton.
The deputy fired until the threat was eliminated, Paxton said.
“The wounds are consistent with the deputy’s account of how this happened,” he said.
The other deputy did not see the shooting. He was near the front door when he heard the gunfire, Paxton said.
No one else was at the home.
