Georgia police officer fatally wounded by bullet

A police officer was shot dead Saturday in Georgia after receiving information about a suspicious vehicle. An 18-year-old man has been charged with the murder, according to the Gwinnett County Police Department.

The officer, Antwan Toney, 30, and other officers were approaching the vehicle, which was parked near a college in Snellville, Georgia, about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta, when shots were fired from the vehiclesaid the police.

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"The officers did not have the guns in the air or anything at that time," said the sergeant. Jake Smith of the Gwinnett County Police Department said at a press conference. "They were coming out of their patrol cars and heading for the suspect vehicle. They had not even made contact with them when the gunshots sounded. "

Isaiah Pretlow, 19, of Snellville, was driving the vehicle when the shooting took place around 2:30 pm, police said, but they believe that Tafahree Maynard, also from Snellville, fired at Officer Toney. The police fired back, but it was unclear whether any of the people inside had been hit.

Mr. Pretlow then drove the car a short distance before crushing and up to four occupants fled on foot, police said.

About half an hour later, during a search of the area, a police officer met Mr. Pretlow, who pointed his gun at him, and the officer shot him, the police said. Mr. Pretlow escaped into a forested area and was later arrested by the United States marshals at about 2330 hours.

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Early Sunday, the police said Mr. Pretlow was charged with aggravated assault for the meeting after the fatal shooting. They said they were still looking for Mr. Maynard, charged with aggravated assault and murder, in connection with the death of Constable Toney. He is considered armed and dangerous, the police said.

Officer Toney, who had been working in the department for almost three years, was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where he died. He had previously worked as a security guard, the police saidand his immediate family lives in southern California.

"We are interviewing several people of interest," Chief Butch Ayers said at a press conference Saturday night. "We follow several tracks. There are no mandates at this time.

"No leader, no sheriff wants to go through there," said Chief Ayers. "It's a traumatic incident."