Tourist Shot By Atlanta Officer: 'I Never Threatened Him'

ATLANTA, GA -- A North Carolina man shot by an Atlanta police officer is telling his side of the shooting, which happened about two weeks ago when he was driving his van occupied by his son, wife and grandchild. For more police news and updates on this and other stories in Atlanta, click here to get Patch's daily newsletter and free, real-time news alerts.

Noel Hall, 46, was in town for a motorcross event in downtown Atlanta. He told local media that he was driving to a designated area for vehicles when he drew the attention of an off-duty police officer working the event as a side job.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, which has opened an investigation into the case, the shooting happened Feb. 25 when an off-duty Atlanta police officer was directing traffic about 10 p.m. when he encountered a white Ford 350 van.
The driver "disregarded the officer’s traffic directions and drove in the direction of the officer," according to the GBI. As the van sped toward him, the officer shot the driver, identified as Hall of Morganton, North Carolina.

But Hall told WSB-TV that, "I never threatened him. I never drove in his direction."

The sentiments echo what Hall said last week in a letter he wrote about the incident.

"We were already in the turn lane and in the process of turning when he approached us by walking in front of our van, we did not drive toward him as been stated. We came to a complete stop and at the point when we did start moving, we made a turn to the right, around and away from the officer," Hall said, WXIA reports.
The shooting happened on Northside Drive near Ivan Allen Boulevard.

"We know the officer was at the intersection, the vehicle proceeded in his direction (and) for whatever reason the officer fired a shot," Atlanta Police Sgt. Warren Pickard told reporters a few days after the incident.

Hall told the TV station that he wants the officer to lose his job.

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