More details have emerged in the case of a Georgia homeowner who shot and killed an off-duty Atlanta police officer who allegedly broke into the homeowner's residence early last week.
This was announced by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. surveillance video The footage shows a shirtless and shoeless police officer entering a home just after 5 a.m. Friday, before being shot and killed by the homeowner in self-defense.
When the homeowner briefly cracked the door open to see what was going on, Horton forced his way inside and knocked the homeowner to the ground, the sheriff's office said.
You can watch the video of the incident here. The sheriff's office announced Monday night. news release It said it has released further information and video to counter false claims about the incident.
According to the sheriff's office, Atlanta Police Officer Aubrey Horton arrived at a home in the 8000 block of Orkney Way in Winston. Winston is about 30 minutes west of Atlanta.
of video It shows Horton running through the darkness screaming before arriving at the front door of the house. He slammed his body against the door and yelled, “Help me!” He backed away from the door and yelled, “Kill me!” before slamming himself against the door again. The video shows him sitting and the homeowner can be heard asking through the door, “Who are you?”
Horton then says, “I love you. No, please kill me,” and the porch light turns on. The video shows him screaming again and being forced onto his back on the balcony. The video then ends with Horton standing near the door again as the homeowner is heard continuing to try to communicate with him.
The sheriff's office said portions of the video have been edited and will be released once the incident is concluded. The edited portion includes video of the fatal gunshot, officers' reaction to the home, and the homeowner wearing minimal clothing as he speaks with officers.
According to the sheriff's office, the homeowner's wife, who had just left for work shortly before the incident, received multiple notifications from her Ring doorbell camera on her way to work, saw the situation unfold, and called 911. .
The husband was inside the home and in bed when he heard a commotion outside, according to the sheriff's office. Additionally, the sheriff's office highlighted that in 2021, while the couple was asleep in bed at around 4 a.m., the back door leading to their bedroom was kicked open during an attempted robbery. In response to this incident, homeowners strengthened security measures such as installing cameras and strengthening exterior doors.
After waking up Friday morning, the husband, unsure if his wife had left for work and fearing for her safety, called out to her as he approached the front door armed, the sheriff's office said. added. He was also worried that there might be an intruder outside the house, putting his wife in danger.
When the homeowner briefly cracked the door open to see what was going on, Horton forced his way inside and knocked the homeowner to the ground, the sheriff's office said. Fearing for his life, the homeowner fired one shot at Horton inside the residence, fatally wounding him, according to the sheriff's office.
Details from the Sheriff's Office:
A Douglas County patrolman who lives nearby and was on his way to work heard the commotion and rushed to help. Investigators with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene and were initially unable to confirm Horton's identity. Horton was found without identification and without a shirt or shoes. His identity was then confirmed using a portable fingerprint scanner, and further investigation revealed that he lived near the crime scene.
It was later confirmed that Horton was an Atlanta police officer. We worked with the Atlanta Police Department to ensure that his family was properly notified and that APD had time to prepare its own statement before releasing that information.
The sheriff's office said it is working closely with the Douglas County District Attorney's Office and that “after reviewing the available facts, both parties are confident that no charges will be filed against the homeowner.” Ta.
Horton was named Investigator of the Year at the Atlanta Police Foundation's 20th annual Crime is Cheers Awards on September 24th.
The Sheriff's Office also dispelled rumors that a Sheriff's Office captain was the owner of the home. The Sheriff's Office also said, “There is no truth to the allegations that Officer Horton was involved in a domestic disturbance or that his family took shelter in this home. Officer Horton has no prior knowledge of the owner of this home. It's not known,” he said.
Additionally, the sheriff's office said it cannot release a full report until toxicology results are available, which it said “could take several months.”
my tvAuthorities previously said Horton, who also lived in the St. Andrews Country Club area about a half-mile from the crime scene, may have been mentally ill or under the influence of drugs. It is reported that.
Atlanta police confirmed in a statement that Horton, who has been with the department since November 2015 and was recently assigned to the fugitive unit, was off-duty at the time of the incident, the department said.
Mr. Horton was selected by Investigator of the Year At the Atlanta Police Foundation's 20th Annual MeetingCrime is toast” Awarded on September 24th.
You can view the video report here For the latest information on the incident.
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