A 26-year-old man in Georgia was shot and killed by police on Sunday after he was observed waving around a firearm near a gas station. The incident is currently under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
On Sunday, August 11, at approximately 1:20 a.m., Athens-Clarke County Police responded to a report of a man waving a "machine gun" near the intersection of Lexington Road and Gaines School Road in Athens, Georgia. Upon arrival, officers encountered the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Marquavious Sims, at a Verizon store. Sims then crossed the road to the parking lot of a QuickTrip gas station.
Georgia Man Shot and Killed by Police After Waving Firearm
As officers approached Sims, they instructed him to drop the firearm. However, during a brief chase, Sims discharged the firearm at pursuing officers. Two officers returned fire and struck the suspect multiple times. Officers immediately rendered emergency medical assistance until paramedics arrived. Sims was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No officers were injured during the incident.
The GBI has been requested by Athens-Clarke County Police to investigate the officer-involved shooting. The two officers involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the GBI's investigation. Sims' body will be transported to the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur, Georgia, for an autopsy.
Georgia Man Shot and Killed by Police After Waving Firearm
The incident marks the latest in a series of officer-involved shootings in Georgia. In July, a man was shot and killed by police in Atlanta after he allegedly pointed a handgun at officers. In June, a woman was shot and killed by police in Augusta after she allegedly fired shots at a deputy.
The GBI's investigation into the Athens shooting is ongoing, and the findings will be turned over to the Clarke County District Attorney's Office for review.
Georgia Man Shot and Killed by Police After Waving Firearm
