Suspect Surrenders In DeKalb Police Shooting

A man accused of shooting a DeKalb police officer Wednesday afternoon has surrendered, the sheriff's office confirmed to Channel 2 Action News.

Derek Frye turned himself in at about 3:30 p.m. Friday at the DeKalb County Jail and faces three counts of aggravated assault. He was accompanied to the jail by his attorney.

Officer Jerome Tillery was shot under the arm, below his bulletproof vest, while responding to a call regarding possible shots fired, said DeKalb Public Safety Director William Miller.

The shooting happened at about 4:45 p.m. in the 2300 block of River Road near Bouldercrest Road.

SLIDESHOW: DeKalb Police Officer Shooting Scene | Team 2 Coverage: Officer Shooting Suspect's Criminal Record

Police sources confirmed to Channel 2’s Ryan Young that authorities think Frye fired at another vehicle in a road rage incident. The other driver involved called 911 and when officers arrived, Frye tried to flee the scene in a stolen pickup truck, police said. Frye drove toward police and fired his weapon hitting Tillery, police said.

Frye’s family had issued a public plea for him to surrender. "We just want Derek to turn himself in, for everyone to be safe, the officers who are pursuing and him being pursued," said Lucy Redd, Frye’s former stepmother, in an interview with Channel 2 Action News reporter Jodie Fleischer.

Jodie Fleischer, WSB-TV Police Manhunt Police search Club Blaze in DeKalb County for Derek Frye who is suspected of shooting a police officer.

Frye had called his father, Derek Frye Sr., shortly after Wednesday's shooting, according to police, who also swarmed a Covington tire shop where Frye once worked.

Channel 2 photographers watched as detectives also searched a south DeKalb County strip club, where Frye's girlfriend works as a dancer, but they left empty handed.

Records show Frye has a criminal history and has been arrested at least six times in the last five years on drug, theft, and weapons charges as well as driving offenses.

The most serious charge, aggravated assault, was dismissed by a grand jury in March, according to records obtained by Fleischer.