Body cam shows confrontation with man armed with machete, 2 guns

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — Police body camera video captured an intense altercation with an elderly man who was armed with a machete and two guns.

Newnan police responded to a fight at a home on Field Street around 1 a.m. on Feb. 6.

They said they found Frank Gates, 76, holding a machete in one hand and holding a man by his shirt with the other hand.

Police said they told Gates several times to drop the weapon.

When he didn't obey the commands, officers shocked him with a Taser and pepper-sprayed him.

“The officer was giving loud verbal commands of what he wanted the suspect to do, and the officer was evaluating the situation and decided it was safe for him to use the Taser and pepper spray instead of anything else,” Newnan police Chief Doug Meadows said.

Gates’ family members said he has Alzheimer’s and probably didn’t comprehend what police were saying, or why they were in his home.

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The family is glad no one was hurt.

“The reason I feel good about it is because they did not kill him and I know (they) could have done it,” Irene Phillips said.

According to Meadows, police would have been justified to use lethal force because Gates was armed and dangerous.

The officer who made the quick decision to subdue Gates without shooting him has only been on the force for about two years.

“He’s a good officer, and I’m proud of him,” Meadows said.

Gates was arrested and charged with obstruction of an officer and possession of weapons with altered serial numbers.

Cox Media Group