Family wants answers after 21-year-old shot, killed by Gainesville police

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Family members want to know why police shot and killed a man outside a Gainesville doctor's office.

For the first time, we're hearing the 911 calls for help.

Channel 2's Christian Jennings covered the shooting last week in Hall County and just picked up the open records request for the 911 calls that night.

The 911 calls from Sept. 20 begin to paint a picture of what happened leading up to the moment Gainesville police shot and killed Adam English near Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

A viewer sent Channel 2 Action News video of the shooting, which shows the seconds after English fell to the ground. Officers can be seen walking toward him with their guns drawn.

"We're wanting peace that every measure was taken before he was shot because I want to know he didn't lose his life over, you know, all the measures not being taken because he was only 21," said English's aunt, Stormy Sexton.

Sexton listened to the calls for the first time with Jennings.

"We've got a call from one of our Physicians Groups indicating there's a person waving a gun outside of the office," the 911 caller said.

Sexton said her nephew battled drug addiction but was getting help. She said a family member dropped English off at a Gainesville rehab facility around lunchtime Friday. At some point she says he left and never returned.

"Just not knowing what happened. Just not understanding the puzzle pieces is so out of his character, like he's never been violent in any type of way ever, we just don't get it," Sexton said.

In one of the 911 calls, employees at the physicians group say they're locking their doors.

"He's leaning on the curb, he put the gun in his bag and it looks like he's about to walk away. So if they can get here, they need to hurry. Did you copy that, traffic?" the 911 caller said.

"Got it, got it," the 911 operator responded.

Soon after, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said two officers shot English after he didn't follow their commands to drop his weapon.

"I wanna see the body cam," Sexton said.

The police chief said the officers, identified as Jonathan Fowler and Jose Hernandez, are on paid administrative leave.

Cox Media Group