Clayton County

Suspicious person call leads to officer-involved shooting

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Randy Harris of Tattoos by Randy has tattooed big-time stars in music and sports in his shop on Southside Commercial Parkway. He says his customers are safe in the daytime but not at night.

"It's tough out here," Harris said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigated after a call about a suspicious person ended with police shooting a man Thursday morning.

Clayton County police say they got a call about a suspicious person from the manager at the nearby Motel 6 off Tara Boulevard and Southside Commercial Parkway around 5:45 a.m.

Police identified the man as 25-year-old Timothy Rutledge.

"There was another person with a gun. He also entered from this door and went from outside," the manager of the Motel 6 said.

An officer arrived and confronted a man who fit the description of Rutledge.

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Police say Rutledge ran around the corner of a car wash. An officer caught up with him and tried to stun him.

"The officer challenged the suspect. The suspect took evasive action," said Deputy Chief Brian Danekes of the Clayton County Police Department.

Police chased him and noticed that Rutledge was reaching into the front of his pants.

That was when the officer fired at least one shot and hit Rutledge in the foot.

Channel 2's Tom Jones noticed a shoe and what looked like a stun gun as well as bullet holes at the scene.

Rutledge was taken to Atlanta Medical Center and then released to the Clayton County Police Department.

The department tweeted that the suspect received non-life threatening injuries.

Danny Boy the Barber wondered why the man who was shot was out so late.

"It's certain hours that don't nothing good happen," Danny Boy said. "I don't be out during those hours."

Harris said the police have done a good job being visible and cleaning up the area. He said despite the incident, he feels safe.

"I've been here 15 years and I continue to stay here," Harris said. "I am not going to run off because of this."

Rutledge left the hospital and is now in the Clayton County Jail on loitering, obstruction and marijuana possession charges.

The GBI is still investigating the shooting.