Shootout And Chase Kills 1 Suspect, Injures 3 Officers

CARROLL COUNTY, GA — Three law enforcement officers were injured after an early morning chase filled with gunfire as suspects fired a rifle at pursuing police, authorities said.

Pier Alexander Shelton, 28, of Birmingham, AL, is dead from return police fire, Georgia Bureau of Investigations spokeswoman Nelly Miles said. The other suspect, 22-year-old Aaron Jajuan Shelton — also of Birmingham — has been charged with five counts of aggravated assault and three counts of aggravated battery and is being held at the Carroll County Jail, Miles said.

Carrollton Police Sgt. Rob Holloway was shot and wrecked his vehicle and was taken by helicopter to Atlanta Medical Center for emergency surgery, Langley said.

Villa Rica police Officer Chase Gordy and Carroll County Sheriff’s Deputy Jay Reppetto were both shot during the violent chase and hospitalized, police said.

The incident started around 3:30 a.m., when a Georgia State Trooper stopped a Nissan going 111 mph on I-20, Troopers said.

The car sped away from the stop as the trooper approached, State Patrol Capt. Brandon Dawson said to reporters.

The trooper successfully used a PIT maneuver to stop the car, Dawson said.

“However, the driver was able to regain control of the vehicle and continued to run,” he said. “His passenger used a rifle and shot at the trooper patrol car, actually striking it and disabling it. Therefore, he was out of the chase.”

As the Nissan sped out of sight and into Carrollton, police there were called to pick up the chase along Georgia State Highway 61 heading toward Villa Rica.

“At some point the passenger leaned out the window and fired rounds into the officer’s vehicle, striking Sgt. Rob Holloway,” Carrollton Police Chief Joel Richards said.

Holloway’s car lost control and slammed into a utility pole, and a second police car stopped to help the injured police sergeant, Richards said.

As the Nissan continued into Villa Rica, officers from that city gave chase through town along side roads and the suspects continued to fire shots at police, Villa Rica Police Chief Michael Mansour told reporters.

“The suspects did fire rounds at our officers (and) struck one of the patrol cars,” Mansour said, hitting Villa Rica Officer Gordy twice.

Gordy was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, and police are awaiting updates.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to provide an independent investigation of the officer-involved shooting “as well as the aggravated assault against the officers,” GBI Special Agent Jeremy Dunkin said.

One of the suspects was fatally wounded by police fire, and the other was arrested “after a negotiation,” Langley said.

“We want to send our prayers out to all the families involved … and thank all of the agencies involved,” Langley said. “We’re thankful today because it could’ve been a lot worse.”

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