CHAMBLEE, GA — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation continues their investigation Friday morning after a man was shot and killed by a police officer during a confrontation in the city of Chamblee.
Chamblee Police Chief Michael Dieppa says the shooting happened near the Walmart on Chamblee Tucker Road.
According to Dieppa, officers initially responded to what he described as an isolated shoplifting call at the store. He says the situation escalated when the suspect, now identified as 29-year-old Travis Harris, was found to be armed.
“We responded to a call at the Walmart, a shoplifting very isolated incident; in this case unfortunately the offender had a firearm,” Dieppa said. “Rather than following the commands of the officers, he confronted the officers and brandished the firearm.”
Dieppa says officers then shot Harris.
Police say Harris struggled with officers inside the store before running to the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex. Authorities say he later confronted officers with a gun near a restaurant, where officers fired their weapons.
Harris was pronounced dead and no officers were injured.
Investigators say the crime scene spans multiple locations, including an apartment complex and a restaurant where blood was found. Dieppa says police believe the blood inside the restaurant belonged to Harris.
The shooting happened near the Chamblee MARTA station. Dieppa says the store has experienced issues in the past due to its proximity to the station, but emphasized that violent crime is not common in the city.
“It’s still a very safe community and it’s usually very random,” Dieppa said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
WSB Radio’s Jennifer Perry contributed to this story.