CLAYTON COUNTY — Channel 2 Action News has learned the suspect who allegedly shot and killed a Riverdale police major may have had advanced notice that police were on the way to the house.
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne talked with the command team of officers that responded to the Villages on the River apartments Thursday where Riverdale Police Maj. Greg Barney was shot and killed while trying to serve a no-knock warrant.
Clayton County SWAT Commander Lt. Steve Palmer said they had all bases covered when they moved in to serve the warrant. What they couldn’t account for was the mind of someone who decides to open fire on an officer.
“It was a no-knock search warrant based on the information we received that subjects inside this apartment had multiple weapons,” Palmer told Winne.
“We both came to the same agreement. I think we covered everything 110 percent correctly and the way it should’ve been. Just this one, the suspect chose to run and he ran with two guns,” said Clayton County Maj. Johnny Robinson.
While the SWAT team moved in, suspect Jerand Ross was running out of the back apartment before the SWAT team’s armored car even stopped.
“Do you believe he had advance word you were rolling down the street?” Winne asked Palmer.
“Yes,” Palmer said.
“Had you in fact brought that up in the pre-raid briefing?” Winne asked Palmer.
“We had information there could possibly be lookouts in the apartment complex,” Palmer said.
“We also found some two-way radios,” said Clayton County Police Chief Mike Register.
Palmer said Barney had no official role in the operations plan and was not especially close to the apartment when he began chasing Ross as he fled.
“If something happened in front of him, he would take some type of action, regardless, which he did,” Robinson said.
Channel 2 Action News learned Ross was not the target of the warrant.
We uncovered Ross’ record of arrests and allegations against him in three metro counties.
Investigators said they were looking for someone they believed was inside and confirmed Friday it was not Ross.
Local community and law enforcement agencies are reflecting on the life of Barney.
Barney's family released a statement to Channel 2 Action News:
"As you can imagine, our hearts are heavy with the sudden passing of our dear Greg. He loved his job and took great pride in protecting and serving the City of Riverdale. We sincerely appreciate all of your prayers, words of encouragement, and reflections. We also thank you for respecting our privacy during this sensitive time. Greg was a great husband, loving father to twin boys and a caring friend. We will miss him dearly." ~The Barney Family
Riverdale police say donations to Barney's family can be made online through the Gold Shield Foundation of Atlanta.
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