Woodstock Officer Shoots Man Who Led Police Chase After Traffic Stop

WOODSTOCK, GA — A man is in critical condition after being shot by a Woodstock police officer during a Thursday night chase from Cherokee to Cobb counties, Woodstock Police said Friday.

The man was driving around 10:45 p.m. in the area of Highway 92 and Hames Road, where police tried to stop him for traffic-related offenses, police said.

The man was accused of fleeing from the traffic stop, leading police on a chase that ultimately ended near Highway 92 and Old Mountain Park Road in Cobb County, police said.

An officer fired his gun while attempting to arrest the man, hitting him, police said. The man was then taken to North Fulton Hospital, where he is being treated and in critical condition, police said.

Per standard procedure, the officer was placed on administrative leave pending the results of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's probe into the shooting, police said.

During the chase, police said the man ran off of the road multiple times, damaging three police vehicles. No officers were injured during the chase, police said.

It is unknown what charges, if any, the man faces in the case.

"The Woodstock Police Department understands the value of every human life and will work to maintain transparency throughout this investigation. The Woodstock Police Department recognizes during officer-involved shooting incidents, the media and community will have questions. We will do our best to provide information as it becomes available to be released. We appreciate the community’s patience while this investigation proceeds. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is involved in this incident," police said in a news release.