Shocking footage released Monday shows off-duty Atlanta police officer Aubrey Horton in a state of extreme panic and possibly a “mental health episode” moments before he was shot and killed while trying to break into a neighbor's home. It shows him experiencing this.
Horton was seen running shirtless and screaming through the streets of Winston, Georgia, around 5:08 a.m. on October 4. Video has been published According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office program.
The 39-year-old police officer, who lived in the area, was heard shouting “Jesus, please help me” and “help me” before arriving at a neighbor's front door in the St. Andrews Country Club area. Ta.
In the Ring doorbell video, the off-duty police officer can be seen running as fast as he can to his neighbor's front door, screaming for help, and tries to grab the handle to open it, but is unable to get inside.
Then Horton hits the shoulder of the door first.
The homeowner appears to be yelling something at Horton from inside the house, but Horton yells, “No, kill me,” and throws himself against the door again.
He sat down on the front steps, looking exhausted, putting his hands on his face and taking a deep breath.
“Who are you?!” a neighbor can be heard shouting from inside the house before calling for his wife.
After a brief silence, Mr. Horton randomly yelled, “I love you,” before letting out a horrifying scream and lying on the porch.
The lights on the front porch of the house turn on and I hear the owner yelling his wife's name again.
Horton then jumps up and approaches the door before the video ends.
Douglas County Sheriff Tim Pounds said: statement On Monday, Horton had the door forced open and forced his way into the home, knocking the homeowner to the ground.
“Fearing for his life and to protect his home, the homeowner fired one shot from his firearm, fatally wounding Mr. Horton inside the home,” Pounds said.
Pounds said the homeowner was in bed when he was woken up by screaming outside.
His wife had left for work shortly before Mr. Horton arrived at the residence.
The homeowner, concerned for his wife's safety, made multiple attempts to communicate with the off-duty police officer before he forced the door open while armed.
During the incident, the homeowner's wife received multiple notifications from the Ring doorbell camera, realized what was happening and called 911.
The sheriff's office said it released edited video footage of the horrifying incident to provide transparency to the public about what happened. It does not include sensitive material, such as the fatal gunshot that killed Horton.
“We want to emphasize that this is a tragic situation in which a homeowner acted to protect his life and home,” Pounds said.
“At this time, we are confident that no charges will be filed against the homeowner.”
The sheriff's office said the two men did not know each other and there was no domestic disturbance involving Horton prior to the incident.
Pounds also said the department wants to address the numerous false rumors circulating online that the home belongs to Douglas County Sheriff's Chief of Criminal Investigations, Capt. John Mohney. .
“These rumors are completely false,” Pounds said in a statement.
“Furthermore, there is no truth to the claims that Officer Horton was involved in a domestic disturbance or that his family took shelter in the home. Horton was completely unknown to the homeowner.”
The Sheriff's Office is working with the Douglas County District Attorney's Office to file a complete report on this incident.
A toxicology report is being submitted but “could take several months to complete.”
“We believe that Horton may have been mentally ill or under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident,” Pounds added.
Horton joined the Atlanta Police Department in November 2015 and was most recently assigned to APD's Fugitive Unit.
The department announced on Facebook that he was named “Investigator of the Year” at the ADP Crime Cheers Awards breakfast on Sept. 24..
Horton received the honor stemming from the case involving Leondre Flint, a missing 21-year-old man whose body was discovered in July.
