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2 people shot by officers after car chase, GBI says

By Tony Thomas, WSB-TV
By Tony Thomas, WSB-TV

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said two people were shot after a car chase in Barrow County.

The incident started around 12 p.m. Tuesday in Loganville, police said.

GBI Special Agent in Charge Mike Ayers told Channel 2 Action News that deputies attempted to stop a truck for failure to maintain a lane near Georgia 316, but the driver didn't stop.

The truck led them on a chase for about 15 minutes before officers performed a PIT maneuver, causing the truck to spin out and crash on the side of the road.

The GBI identified the driver Wednesday as Casey Taylor, 31. Taylor had two female passengers who have not been identified.

Taylor shot at least 10 times at deputies while they were still in their cars, Ayers said. Deputies returned fire, shooting Taylor and a female passenger.

Taylor was treated at the hospital and released into custody of the Barrow County Sheriff's Office. The female passenger who was shot is still recovering in the hospital. A second female passenger was also in the car, but it is unclear if she is in custody.

NewsChopper 2 was over the scene Tuesday where the pickup truck crashed into the trees along the road.

Parks Mills Road was shut down for hours as police and the GBI investigated.

Channel 2's Tony Thomas is at the scene, where multiple law enforcement officers gathered evidence.

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Thomas talked to a witness, who said she couldn't believe such a violent incident happened on a quiet country road.

Melissa Larrison said she went outside after she heard helicopters.

She said the first thing she saw when she walked outside was the black truck skidding around the corner by her house.

"There were so many cops following him," Larrison said.

She then saw a deputy spin the truck out and heard gunshots.

Ayers said one of the three people inside the truck fired the first shot. As many as five deputies returned fire.

"There was a very substantial amount of gunfire that was exchanged," Ayers said.

Authorities were still working to piece together the scene Tuesday night.

Sheriff Jud Smith said it will be up to the GBI to determine why the suspects decided to drive away from the original traffic stop and shoot at deputies. It's unclear what charges they face.

Smith praised his deputies for their handling of the violent incident. Both the suspects who were shot are expected to survive.

"The deputy, in my opinion, did a great job staying with the vehicle," Smith said.

Smith said he was so relieved that none of his officers were hurt that he hugged them.

"I hugged the necks of every one of my deputies," Smith said. "I told them I was proud of them and would continue to be proud of them."

Cox Media Group

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