ATLANTA (TCN) — An off-duty officer was fatally shot on Friday when he allegedly broke into a home in the early morning and was confronted by the homeowner.
In a statement, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a home on Orkney Way on Oct. 4 at approximately 5 a.m. after receiving a call about a person shot. Video footage obtained by the sheriff’s office reportedly showed a man “experiencing a mental health episode or under the influence of narcotics” trying to enter the residence. They learned the suspect lived at a similar address in the same neighborhood, but he still managed to make his way inside. The statement says the homeowner shot the man in self-defense, and the man died at the scene.
Atlanta Police identified the man who was shot as Aubree Horton. He had been with the department since 2015 and was working in the Fugitive Unit before his death.
On Sept. 24, the Atlanta Police Department commended several officers at their “Crime Is Toast” awards, including Horton, who was named Investigator of the Year.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate.