Police recruit fatally shoots would-be robber, 14

[Silver Fox]

By TIM EBERLY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 02/09/08

An Atlanta police recruit shot and killed a teen boy who tried to rob him at gunpoint early Saturday, authorities said.

The 14-year-old allegedly had confronted the recruit while he was in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Parkside Crossing apartments, in the 4200 block of Jonesboro Road in Forest Park.

Forest Park police Lt. Amy Wright said the teen suffered more than one gunshot wound and died. She would not reveal the boy's name, saying she was not sure all his relatives had been notified.

Wright also did not release the name or age of the police recruit, but she described him as a younger officer who recently got out of the U.S. Marine Corps, is attending Atlanta's police academy and lives at Parkside Crossing.

The shooting occurred at 12:15 a.m. The recruit was sitting in his personal vehicle, logged onto his laptop computer because the apartment complex offers free wireless Internet service, Wright said.

He heard a tap on his driver's side window and looked up to see the boy standing outside his car. The youth allegedly had a shotgun pointed at the recruit's face.

The boy said something the man did not understand, but the recruit believed the teen wanted his laptop, Wright said.

The recruit could not roll down his window because it was broken, so he began opening the door, she said. As he stood up, he grabbed a handgun that he had at his side and used the laptop to hide the weapon.

The recruit then opened fire on the robber, killing him, Wright said. The would-be victim spotted a second male nearby who apparently was a lookout. That individual ran away and was being sought by police Saturday evening.

Forest Park police found a set of keys on the dead boy for a vehicle that was parked outside the gated complex. The car had been stolen from East Point, Wright said.

The shooting appeared to be in self-defense and no charges were pending against the police recruit, Wright said.

[Nole795]

If your old enough to commit a violent felony, then your old enough to die...

[mcsap]

A RIGHTEOUS shooting that NO DOUBT will have the words " racist pig" and " you murdered my baby " spouted all over the media from the parents/relatives.

Good job officer.

[Cat_Doc]

Sounds like a calm, thinking man under pressure. Good job!

[Big Sexy]

Sounds like a calm, thinking man under pressure. Good job!

The article did say he is a former Marine. ;)

[Kate]

A RIGHTEOUS shooting that NO DOUBT will have the words " racist pig" and " you murdered my baby " spouted all over the media from the parents/relatives.

Good job officer.

You're right, mcsap, and that is the kind of stuff that really pisses me off. And no doubt the family and the media will make this kid out to be a saint.

If Boo's mama (because I doubt there's a daddy) did a better job of raising the POS, and made sure he was home in bed at 12:15 a.m. instead of roaming the streets in stolen cars and carrying a shotgun trying to rob people, then she wouldn't have anything to worry about.

Good job by the officer. Glad he's safe.

[sfb92]

Glad the recruit made it out safely.

A question; Do Atlanta recruits carry in the academy, or was this a CCW.

Either way the good guy made it out o.k. and one less bad guy.

[ngcsubutterbar]

likely a GFL (GA Firearms license ) our carry license; but I'm not sure.

[Question]

A 14 year old is a child. And this is why it's very sad for boys and girls of this age to be drinking alcohol, smoking weed, doing drugs, having sex, robbing people etc. However, this is the state of our depraved society.

I can only imagine how the recruit must feel right now. I would feel bad for the family as well, but I feel they have contributed to this child's delinquency in a major way.

[Norm357]

Surprisingly, there has not been any noise from the usual suspects.

[Norm357]

Glad the recruit made it out safely.

A question; Do Atlanta recruits carry in the academy, or was this a CCW.

Either way the good guy made it out o.k. and one less bad guy.

It does not matter. You do not need a permit to carry a gun in your vehicle in GA.

[mxwelch]

Good thing that he lives in a state that allows self defense. If he hadn't who knows, he might have been found beside his car sans laptop and part of his chest.

[sfb92]

It does not matter. You do not need a permit to carry a gun in your vehicle in GA.

I see that you can carry w/o a permit in your car, but do Atlanta Police recruits carry as officers? For instance my dad carries, but doesn't have a CCW, he carries because of his status as a sworn LEO.

I was wondering if that is the same for APD Recruits, or is it like ngcsubutterbar and yourself said where he has a permit or doesn't need a permit b/c he's in his car.

Again glad he's o.k., because that's all that matters.

[Norm357]

I see that you can carry w/o a permit in your car, but do Atlanta Police recruits carry as officers? For instance my dad carries, but doesn't have a CCW, he carries because of his status as a sworn LEO.

I was wondering if that is the same for APD Recruits, or is it like ngcsubutterbar and yourself said where he has a permit or doesn't need a permit b/c he's in his car.

Again glad he's o.k., because that's all that matters.

No. APD recruits cannot carry on creds till they graduate. They can carry on a CCW. Hope this helps.

[Cat_Doc]

The article did say he is a former Marine. ;)

Big, I once made a former Marine cry during an oral board, but we won't get into that. ;)