A Georgia State Patrol officer was charged after fatally shooting a 60-year-old man over a busted tail light last Friday.
Jacob G. Thompson, aged 27, who was hired on 28th July 2013, has been arrested by The Georgia Bureau of Investigation on charges of murder and aggravated assault of Julian Lewis.
According to Georgia State Patrol, Tompson has been taken to the Screven County Jail and also got terminated from the Department of Public Safety.
The incident happened on 7th August when Thompson tried to stop Julian Lewis, who was driving Nissan Sentra on Stoney Pond Road at around 9:20 pm.point 254 |
When Lewis refused to stop, this led the two engaged in a chase down, and Thompson used the ‘Precision Intervention technique’ (PIT), which caused Lewis to stop his car in a ditch.point 153 | Where Thompson fired a gun, and Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene.point 212 |
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Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called to investigate the incident, and the details are not provided yet and stated that ‘the investigation is active and ongoing.’
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In the incident report, Thompson wrote that He shot Lewis in the forehead because he thought the man is going to run him over.point 117 | According to the incident report, Thompson saw the victim aggressively wrenching the steering wheel.point 204 |
‘It appeared to me that the violator was trying to use his vehicle to injure me.point 67 | Being in fear for my life and safety, I discharged my weapon once.point 121 | ’ point 130 | 1
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The Lewis family attorney Francys Johnson said that the U.point 63 | S.point 65 | Department of Justice had approved the request for the civil rights investigation.point 136 | According to the attorney, the PIT maneuver was unnecessary because it can be dangerous, and it’s only be done to eliminate the risk of public safety, and there was no public safety risk in the area where this incident occurred.point 327 |
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Lewis’s family stated that they are getting a lot of messages from the people that this is not the first time the ex-trooper Thompson racially profiled and harassed people of color.
‘I want justice for Julian. He was too good to die as he did. This is one step towards justice,’ said the victim’s wife.