ATLANTA — A police officer is credited with saving a man’s life after a shootout.
Police said Timothy Hood, 37, carjacked his girlfriend around 11:30 am Wednesday in northwest Atlanta. He was spotted about 30 minutes later in southwest Atlanta.
According to police, Hood crashed into another car at the intersection of Milton and Lakewood Avenues, then got out and started firing at officers.
Police said an officer fired back, hitting Hood in the shoulder, leg and forearm. After the shooting, another officer helped apply a tourniquet to the suspect’s bleeding leg, which likely saved his life.
“Nobody wants to see a man die, and that’s what he looked like he was doing,” Officer Mason Mercure said.
The officer said he didn’t hesitate to help.
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“Really, training kicks in at that moment, humanity kicks in and preservation of life,” he said.
Mercure, a 12-year veteran, said he knew he didn’t have a lot of time to work with.
“We had about two to three minutes to make that happen before someone loses their life when they have that heavy arterial bleeding, and we managed to get it on time,” he said.
Hood was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. Family members said Hood has been struggling with the death of his grandmother in 2000 and has been arrested multiple times since then.
Hood’s brother said he’s grateful the officer gave his brother a chance to still turn his life around.
“I would love to meet him and shake his hand and tell him we appreciate everything he did,” Timmandre Hood said.
Timothy Hood faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault.