An officer kills a suspect in Georgia, killing police

SNELLVILLE, Georgia – A police officer on Monday killed an 18-year-old man accused of killing another police officer near a high school in the Atlanta area this weekend, the police said. police.

Tafahree Maynard was one of two men accused in the fatal shootout of Gwinnett County Police Officer Antwan Toney. Police believe that Maynard shot Toney and started a manhunt while facing charges of aggravated badault and murder for felony.

Police received credible information Sunday night that Maynard was still in the area and dozens of officers were mobilized to search for him, police said Monday in an email. They stated that a SWAT team had been called to clean several locations because of the potential threat Maynard represented.

Police had credible advice on Maynard's whereabouts around 3:00 am Monday, said Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers.

Two policemen searching a shed behind a house belonging to Maynard met Maynard around 11 am Monday, police said. Maynard refused to surrender and did not obey verbal orders to show his hands, the police said.

An officer fired his stun gun, which did not stop Maynard, the police said. Maynard then pulled out a lawn mower blade and aggressively headed towards the police, pushing the second officer to fire his gun, striking and killing Maynard, the police said.

"I would like to say that the danger to the community is over," Ayers told a news conference, adding that the police would continue to investigate any possible charges against people who could have helped Maynard "during his attempt to escape justice. "

Isaiah Pretlow, 19, was charged with aggravated badault. According to the police, Pretlow drove the suspect vehicle after the shooting, crashed a short distance away and escaped with other occupants. An officer searching the area then met Pretlow around 3 pm Pretlow pointed a gun at the officer, who fired shots, police said. Pretlow was not touched and escaped into the woods. He was then placed in custody around 11:30 pm Saturday by the US Marshals.

No officer was injured during the meeting with Maynard. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigates, which is the standard procedure for shootings by the police.

Toney answered a call around 14:30. Saturday about a suspicious vehicle near the Shiloh Intermediate School in the Snellville area, about 40 km northeast of Atlanta. When his partner and himself approached, someone inside the vehicle fired from inside and Toney was hit, police said. The vehicle accelerated.

Toney died in a hospital of his wounds, police said. A 30-year-old from Southern California, he had worked for the Gwinnett County Police Service for nearly three years and was in his first police position.

Services for him were announced Monday. The funeral will be held Wednesday at 11 am in Lawrenceville.

"The people who worked daily with Agent Toney remembered a very jovial person, dedicated to his job and his community," Ayers said.