No Charges In Fatal Police Shooting Of Stone Mountain Dad: DA
"The Clayton County district attorney announced Friday the case against the officer in the fatal shooting of Eric Holmes is now closed.
MORROW, GA — No charges will be filed in the November 2022 police shooting that killed Eric Holmes, a 19-year-old Stone Mountain father, in Morrow, Clayton County District Attorney Tasha Mosley announced Friday.
Mosley said the case is now closed after a grand jury voted to not indict the Clayton County police officer accused in the case. Due to conflicting evidence and a lack of new evidence, Mosley said presenting the case to a new grand jury would not be justified.
She showed body cam footage of the moments leading to the shooting and its aftermath during a news conference. The footage can be seen via an 11Alive YouTube stream.
Holmes was shot to death around 11:45 a.m., Nov. 21, in the 1100 block of Commerce Road, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at the time.
The GBI said the officer was investigating a stolen vehicle that was parked at a local business.
Mosley said at the news conference the vehicle was a beige 2014 Kia Optima that had been reported stolen from Rome.
Holmes was accused of approaching the officer during the investigation and initiating the officer in conversation.
Mosley said Holmes told the officer the Kia belonged to him, adding he had a bill of sale though he could not produce one when the officer inquired about it.
Holmes was accused of "abruptly" walking away from the officer, getting into the stolen vehicle and starting it. The officer commanded Holmes to stop, then fired several shots, the GBI said.
Holmes drove away from the scene in the vehicle, then the officer began chasing him in a marked patrol car, the GBI said.
"Holmes drove up Commerce Drive and veered into a ditch, about a quarter mile from where the incident began," the GBI said.
Mosley said the officer testified he ordered Holmes to raise his hands and get out of the Kia. The officer testified Holmes did not exit the car.
As he approached the Kia, the officer realized Mosley had been wounded, Mosley said.
"He radioed for emergency assistance and attempted to render aid," Mosley said during the news conference.
The officer could be heard in the body cam footage saying, "Stay with me. Come on, stay with me."
Holmes was taken to Southern Regional Medical Center, where he died, the GBI said..
Two handguns were recovered from the Kia, both Mosley and the GBI said.
Since the case is considered closed, Mosley said it is now subject to the Open Records Act."
No comments:
Post a Comment