COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — The family of an 18-year-old killed in a Newnan police shooting has reviewed body camera footage and other evidence as the district attorney prepares to determine whether the officer’s use of deadly force was justified.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney John Herbert Cranford Jr. met with 11 members of Zadarious Dorsey’s family on Oct. 9 to review evidence gathered in the investigation into the deadly shooting, which happened around 1 a.m. Oct. 3.
The meeting at the Coweta County Justice Center lasted more than two hours and included the Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent leading the case, along with district attorney’s office investigators and a victim advocate.
According to the district attorney’s office, the family reviewed the officer’s body camera footage, police radio traffic, surveillance videos, Taser data, crime scene photographs and other evidence.
The family was also told that the gun recovered at the scene had been reported stolen in Albany in 2020.
Following the meeting, the district attorney said the family agreed that body camera footage showing the incident up to and including the shooting should be released publicly, but without images depicting Dorsey’s suffering.
Cranford said his office intends to release the evidence presented to the family, along with a presentation and timeline explaining the case, after the GBI Medical Examiner completes the autopsy report.
The district attorney’s office expects to receive the report within the month.
The GBI is conducting an independent investigation at the request of the Newnan Police Department.
Once the investigation is complete, the case will be submitted to the district attorney’s office for review.
Cranford told the family that his office will evaluate whether prosecutors can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer was unreasonable in believing deadly force was necessary to protect himself from death or great bodily injury.
The district attorney also discussed Georgia law regarding deadly force, self-defense and police encounters with members of the family.
No decision on whether to pursue criminal charges against the officer was announced in the Oct. 9 release.
According to the GBI, a Newnan police officer saw a white car traveling near the intersection of Dodson Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive shortly before 1 a.m. Oct. 3.
The officer followed the vehicle until it stopped on Cliff Circle and approached to speak with the driver.
Five men exited the vehicle. One walked toward a nearby home, while the other four ran away.
The officer chased one of the men, later identified as Dorsey.
Investigators said the officer repeatedly ordered Dorsey to stop during the foot chase and deployed a Taser, but it was ineffective.
The officer then saw Dorsey pull a gun from his waistband, according to the GBI. Investigators said the officer ordered him to stop and drop the gun before firing multiple shots.
Officers provided medical aid until emergency medical personnel arrived. Dorsey was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
No officers were injured, and a gun was recovered at the scene.
The GBI’s initial release did not state whether Dorsey pointed the gun at the officer or fired any shots.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Police officer found dead inside Georgia courthouse
- 5 dead in south Georgia shooting
- ‘His spirit is everywhere:’ Loved ones remember Atlanta teacher killed in murder-suicide
In the days following the shooting, Dorsey’s family publicly called for answers about the circumstances surrounding his death.
In an interview with Channel 2 Action News, family members questioned why the officer initially followed the vehicle, when emergency lights were activated and when backup was requested.
They also said they wanted to see the body camera footage and understand what happened during the encounter.
“He wasn’t no criminal. He was somebody, and I loved him,” Dorsey’s aunt, Angela Brown, said in the interview.
The family said Dorsey was a senior at Newnan High School and planned to join the Navy after graduation.
The Coweta County NAACP also said it was getting involved in the case.
In an Oct. 6 update, Cranford said he had contacted Dorsey’s family and offered to meet with them to explain the criminal justice process and review the evidence. At that time, the family initially declined the meeting while grieving.
The district attorney said he would consider releasing evidence publicly after the family had an opportunity to review it and provide input.
The Oct. 9 meeting marked that review.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
The GBI continues to investigate the shooting. The district attorney’s office will review the findings once the investigation is complete and determine how to proceed.
Cranford said he plans to meet with Dorsey’s family again to explain his analysis and decision.
The evidence, including the body camera footage and the district attorney’s presentation, is expected to be released after the medical examiner’s autopsy report is completed.
©2026 Cox Media Group
