A police officer on Monday shot and killed an 18-year-old man accused of fatally shooting another officer near a school in the Atlanta area over the weekend, police said.
Tafahree Maynard was one of two men charged in the fatal shooting Saturday of Gwinnett County police Officer Antwan Toney. Police believe Maynard shot Toney, and had launched an area manhunt as he faced charges of aggravated assault and felony murder.
Police got a credible tip about Maynard’s whereabouts around 3 a.m. Monday, Gwinnett County police Chief Butch Ayers told reporters. Dozens of police officers went door-to-door in a search for him, knocking on doors and interviewing people.
Two officers searching a shed behind a house encountered Maynard, who failed to comply with verbal commands, Ayers said. Maynard initially had his hand behind his back and when he showed his hand, he was holding an “edged weapon” in his hand, the chief said.
One officer fired a stun gun at Maynard and the other fatally shot him from about 5 or 6 feet (1.5 meters or 1.8 meters) away, Ayers said.
“I would like to say that the danger to the community is over,” Ayers said at a news conference, adding that police would continue to investigate any potential charges against people who may have provided assistance to Maynard “during his attempt to escape justice.”
Toney was responding to a call around 2:30 p.m. Saturday about a suspicious vehicle near Shiloh Middle School in the Snellville area, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta. When the officers approached, someone in the vehicle opened fire and Toney was hit, police said. Then the vehicle sped off.
Toney died at a hospital from his wounds, police said. The 30-year-old from Southern California had been with the Gwinnett County Police Department for nearly three years, serving in his first police job.
“The people that worked with Officer Toney on a daily basis recalled a very jovial person who was dedicated to his job and dedicated to his community,” Ayers said.
A second suspect, 19-year-old Isaiah Pretlow, was charged with aggravated assault for allegedly pointing a gun at an officer during the pursuit after Toney’s fatal shooting, police had said earlier.
According to police, Pretlow drove the vehicle away after the shooting, crashed a short distance away and fled along with other occupants. An officer searching the area later encountered Pretlow around 3 p.m. Pretlow pointed a gun at the officer, who fired shots, according to police. Pretlow was not hit and fled into some woods. He was subsequently taken into custody around 11:30 p.m. Saturday by U.S. Marshals.
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.
