Commerce, GA – The GBI Forensic Artist has completed a sketch of the man wanted for shooting a Banks County Deputy Sheriff. On Wednesday, April 26, 2017, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was requested by the Banks County Sheriff’s Office to investigate an aggravated assault on a police officer.
Preliminary information from the Banks County Sheriff’s Office indicates that at approximately 4:10 p.m., Banks County Deputies responded to a reported robbery at the Atlanta Dragway located at 500 E. Ridgeway Road in Commerce. The suspect, described as an approximately 40-year-old black male dressed in black, reportedly stole a vehicle. Banks County Deputies attempted to stop the stolen vehicle in the area of the Tanger Outlet Center located at 800 Steven B. Tanger Blvd, also in Commerce. The suspect exited the stolen vehicle and fired multiple times at deputies before fleeing across I-85. A Banks County Deputy was struck by a round, but the bullet was stopped by his ballistic vest. The deputy was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Agencies from throughout northeast Georgia are participating in the search for the suspect. SWAT teams from both the Georgia State Patrol and Hall County Sheriff’s Office are also on scene.
Anyone who comes in contact with the suspect should immediately call 911.
