COBB COUNTY, GA– A police officer in Cobb County, Georgia, was shot point-blank, but thankfully his bulletproof vest saved his life. The suspect was shot and killed by police after a three hour manhunt.
At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 13th, a Cobb County officer had responded to a domestic dispute on North Shores Road near Dallas-Acworth Highway, according to Sergeant Wayne Delk.
A Cobb County police officer was shot Sunday afternoon, the suspect was later shot and killed in a separate officer-involved shooting. https://t.co/7yQWPYLeie
— FOX 5 Atlanta (@FOX5Atlanta) June 14, 2021
Sergeant Wayne Delk told reporters at the scene that when the officer arrived, the suspect pulled out a gun and shot him point-blank in the chest, but thankfully he was wearing a bulletproof vest, which helped save his life. The officer was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and later released.
Sergeant Delk told 11Alive News:
“Because of the vest it was not a life-threatening injury, but it would have been a lot worse had he not been wearing a vest,”
The GBI is investigating an OIS involving the Cobb County Police Department and Luis Rey Ruiz, 20, of Kennesaw. Yesterday, Ruiz shot a Cobb County PD officer when he responded to an Acworth residence for a domestic dispute. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/aZkXqhmKUy
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) June 14, 2021
WSB-TV reports that dozens of officers from several local police departments in the area and the Georgia State Patrol helped search for the suspect.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said when the officer initially arrived at the location, a man later identified as 20-year-old Luis Rey Ruiz, of Kennesaw, opened fire on the officer. The officer reportedly returned fire and struck Ruiz as he ran from the scene, 11Alive News reported.
Around 6:40 p.m., Cobb County SWAT located Ruiz and fired shots at him. No additional officers were injured in the event. Ruiz died at the scene from his injuries, and a gun was located next to him.
Cobb County Police posted on Twitter, saying:
“The search for the suspect has ended,”
*UPDATE*
The search for the suspect has ended. A second officer involved shooting resulting in the suspect being shot and killed. No officers were injured. @GBI_GA is on scene and has taken over investigation. @ajc @wsbtv @cbs46 @FOX5Atlanta @11AliveNews https://t.co/ZV2UpgXYe5— Cobb County Police (@cobbpolice1) June 13, 2021
The tweet went on to read:
“A second officer involved shooting resulting in the suspect being shot and killed. No officers were injured.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has since taken over the case. Law Enforcement Today will bring you updates as they become available.
This is the second time in the last week that a police officer in Georgia was shot at, and resulted in the suspect being killed.
As Law Enforcement Today recently reported, on June 9th, a Georgia State Trooper had attempted to stop a vehicle being driven by 36-year-old Terrell Gas near an apartment complex located in College Park. However, officials say that Gas fled the stop.
Gunfire was reportedly exchanged between the suspect and the trooper during the onset of the pursuit.
Here is that full story.
COLLEGE PARK, GA – A murder suspect out of Dekalb County died at the hospital following a pursuit with Georgia state troopers where gunfire was reportedly exchanged, according to officials.
A Georgia State Patrol trooper suffered a non-life threatening injury during the incident and is being treated at a local area hospital. (2/2)
FULL RELEASE: https://t.co/4yHLm4JXqg— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) June 10, 2021
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the deceased suspect as 36-year-old Terrell Gas, who DeKalb County say was wanted for allegedly shooting two women on June 8th, one of which died as a result of the shooting incident.
Following the June 8th shooting, an arrest warrant was issued for Gas under charges of murder and aggravated assault.
On June 9th, a state trooper had attempted to stop a vehicle being driven by Gas near an apartment complex located in College Park. However, officials say that Gas fled the stop.
Gunfire was reportedly exchanged between the suspect and the trooper during the onset of the pursuit.
At some point during the pursuit, officials say that Gas’ vehicle went down an embankment near Old National Highway at the entrance ramp to I-85 north in Fulton County.
According to the GBI, as Gas fled his vehicle on foot he was reportedly spotted carrying a firearm. State troopers were said to have fired upon Gas after seeing the weapon.
The suspect was transferred to an area hospital following the shooting, where he was later pronounced deceased. One trooper was injured during the encounter with the suspect, with officials only noting that the injuries sustained were “non-life threatening.”
The GBI is continuing to investigate the incident and will turn over their findings to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office once the investigation is complete.
Earlier in June, Law Enforcement Today shared a report stemming from Missouri that involved a suspect allegedly shooting an officer while he was being pursued.
Here’s that previous report.
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ST LOUIS, MO – A 30-year-old robbery suspect who allegedly shot a police officer in St. Louis on the evening of May 28th has been charged with a variety of offenses, to include two counts of armed criminal action and two counts of first-degree assault.
Man charged with shooting at officers, injuring one in South City https://t.co/6KuCj4beJh
— Mermaid11 (@betagoldfish) June 1, 2021
According to officials with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, officers had spotted a gold 2004 Chevy Impala, that was reportedly connected to a robbery, within the 3700 block of Nebraska slightly after 6:00 p.m. on the evening of May 28th.
The officers that spotted the vehicle had reportedly attempted to pull the car over, but the driver, later identified as 30-year-old Darne Ricks, had allegedly led officers on a pursuit instead.
According to a report from St. Louis Post Dispatch, Ricks reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour:
“Ricks sped off in the Impala and reached more than 100 mph before crashing in the 3700 block of Nebraska Avenue, charges say.”
Officials say Ricks had eventually crashed, then exiting the vehicle and allegedly opening fire on the two officers that were pursuing him. One of the officers was reportedly struck right above their right eye.
Metropolitan Police Chief John Hayden said the officers returned fire, but the suspect was not struck during the return fire. Ricks was said to have been taken into custody following the exchanged fire.
The officer injured during the firefight with the suspect was taken to an area hospital and was later released, with officials only noting that the officer is 26-years-old.
Chief Hayden made the following comment about the incident, highlighting his relief when he saw that the officer shot was doing just fine while at the hospital:
“Anytime that happens, your heart drops and you start praying because you want to make sure the officer is okay. When I got here, I saw him smiling, his wife is here, so I was very thankful to see the officer was okay.”
Mayor Tishaura Jones made the following comments following the incident:
“Thankfully the officer’s injuries were minor and he is recovering at home. Nobody is immune to the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our city — not our families, not our officers, and especially not our children. We need to declare gun violence a public health crisis.”
Ricks was reportedly charged with two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, and resisting arrest.
The suspect also was charged with armed criminal action and conspiracy to commit a felony in an armed robbery and carjacking, with respect to the suspected robbery incident that officials say occurred on May 25th.
In other news pertaining to St. Louis, and specifically to Mayor Tishaura Jones, while she shared kind words regarding the officer injured in the May 28th incident, she’s also come under heavy scrutiny for her police defunding efforts.
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