DeKalb County

Brookhaven police searching for man who shot at officer

Brookhaven police say one of its officers narrowly missed being shot by a man who they said had just robbed and shot two other people late Tuesday night.

Channel 2’s Robert Ray was the only news reporter there as officers searched the area near Briarlyn Court for the weapon believed used in the shootings.

Sgt. Lonne Napier said he was parked at the Village of Druid Hills shopping plaza at North Druid Hills and North Hills Road when a man ran up to his patrol car shouting that the Newk’s restaurant had been robbed and there was a shooting. The man said the robber ran around the back side of the plaza.

Napier then drove to the area where the robbery and shooting allegedly happened and saw a white vehicle parked. A man ran out of that vehicle and told him that he had also been shot. The victim told Napier that the shooter had run into a nearby apartment complex. 

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The officer drove to the apartment complex and noticed a black Mustang backing out of a parking space and driving toward the patrol car. The driver of the vehicle came to a stop and lowered his window and police say he told the officer “he went that way,” and motioned behind him.

Napier said that as he was questioning that driver, the man shot at him. He said the bullet was just inches from his head.
“He rolled his window down and we talked face to face,” he said.

The bullet struck the back driver's side window.  The man then led police on a chase into DeKalb County.
Napier, who has been an officer for 17 years, was emotional telling Channel 2’s Mark Winne about the shooting and what gives him the strength to do his job.
“Just wanting to do a good job, fix things,” he said. “The man upstairs (was looking after me).”

Police say the driver eventually lost control of his vehicle into a row of trees and shrubbery and then ran off at 1963 Briarlyn Court.
"This is normally, for lack of a better term, ‘Mayberry,’ so there is not a whole lot that goes on in our street,” said neighbor Richard Pentecost.

Officers are still searching for the man.