CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — For the first time, we’re seeing the moment a Clayton County police captain got into a shootout with a man accused of rape.
Clayton County police gave Channel 2′s Mark Winne remarkable insight into what their officers faced on March 28.
On Tuesday they released two videos to Channel 2 Action News - body camera footage from a sergeant who arrived at the scene as the suspect let loose with fully automatic fire towards a police captain, and surveillance video from a gas station.
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Clayton County police Sergeant Casey Fausel said she was still driving when the first burst of fire let her know that the suspect had some kind of automatic weapon.
Clayton County police Captain Steve Long told us he followed sexual assault suspect Robert Prince’s black Crown Victoria to a Valero gas station on Riverdale Road.
“I opened the door to my vehicle, stood on the running board, drew my duty weapon, pointed it at Mr. Prince, and gave him verbal commands... told him to stay in the vehicle and put his hands on the steering wheel,” Long said.
Long said Prince was armed with a handgun quipped with a “switch” that converts it to a fully automatic gun.
He said about the time of the first burst of gunfire, Prince started advancing towards him.
Long said outgunned and without his armored vest, he knew he had to find cover and Sgt. Fausel arrived just in time for both officers to seek shelter behind her patrol car.
“When I pulled up he was able to retreat to my car where we seeked cover when we were taking cover from the suspect,” Fausel said. “When you’re being hunted down it’s terrifying. It’s nothing like I’ve ever experienced.”
Long said after Prince unleashed a second burst of fully automatic gunfire, Long fired twice.
Soon after, Prince was down and officers called for an ambulance.
Long said another sergeant arrived and the trio carefully moved towards Prince.
“Yes, the man just shot at us. He had bad intentions but we still have a responsibility to render first aid if there’s any signs of life,” Long said.
Prince died at the scene.
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“God’s good grace is the reason I’m able to sit here and have this discussion with you right now,” Long told Winne on Monday.
Long said Prince was accused of holding his wife captive and sexually assaulting her and that before police cleared that scene, a black Crown Victoria passed him.
A Crime Scene Investigator told Long that was the kind of car Prince drove.
The captain followed the car and learned the tag was registered to Prince, leading to his attempt to capture Prince at the gas station.
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