BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has released more information in a deadly shooting that involved Bartow County deputies on March 17.
GBI said Justin Eric Hardin, 45, of Canton, was shot and killed. No deputies were hurt.
Channel 2 Action News reported from the scene of the shooting, where a large law enforcement and firefighter presence was seen at Interstate 75 and Highway 20.
Hardin’s vehicle was stopped in connection with an attempt to execute a drug task force arrest warrant by the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office and Bartow Cartersville Drug Task Force at around 3 p.m. March 17.
GBI said Hardin drove off from the attempted stop in the parking lot of the Days Inn motel on Highway 20. Deputies pursued his vehicle a short distance before performing a PIT maneuver under the overpass at Highway 20 and Interstate 75.
A passenger, Angela Green, 44, of Acworth, got out of the vehicle and was taken into custody. She was taken to Bartow County Detention Center.
Authorities said Hardin didn’t follow commands to leave the vehicle. Deputies used a spray in the vehicle to get the suspect to leave it. When deputies broke the driver’s side window to get Hardin out of the vehicle, he shot at deputies, authorities said. Deputies returned fire, shooting Hardin.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The GBI said a large amount of suspected methamphetamine were found in the vehicle.
An independent investigation will be conducted by the GBI, and the case file will be given to the Bartow County District Attorney’s Office for review.
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