COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — The Coweta County District Attorney’s Office says a gun found near where an 18-year-old was shot and killed had his DNA on it.
Zadarious Dorsey was shot and killed by Newnan police earlier this month.
Investigators located a gun 42 feet away from where he fell to the ground after being shot.
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The Canik 9mm pistol had been reported stolen in Albany, Georgia several years ago. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined that Dorsey’s DNA was on the gun.
The GBI says the officer saw Dorsey pull a gun from his waistband before the officer fired several shots at Dorsey.
Dorsey’s family and their attorneys held a news conference last week after viewing the body camera footage, which they say never showed a gun in Dorsey’s hands.
Attorney Harry Daniels questions how the only gun recovered on scene ended up 42 feet away.
“We don’t believe that physics would allow him to toss a gun that distance away if he was shot immediately and fell immediately. The math, just not mathing,” he said.
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As conditions of his bonds from Coweta and Carroll counties, Dorsey was not allowed to have possession of a gun.
The DA’s office also reported that in body camera footage from the chase and arrest, the officer can be heard referring to Dorsey by his nickname, saying “Stop, Dae Dae,” implying that he was familiar with Dorsey.
Previous police reports show that the officer was present for Dorsey’s arrests in May 2024 and October 2025, as well as his trespass from Newnan High School in August 2023.
The release from the DA’s office does not take a stance on whether the officer had reasonable suspicion to stop Dorsey.
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