GBI: Officer fatally shoots man who tried to draw gun

CARROLLTON, Ga. -- A police officer fatally shot a man who began to draw a gun during a confrontation in the west Georgia city of Carrollton, authorities said Friday.

Carrollton police Cpl. Chad Cook responded just after 9 p.m. Thursday to a call of a suspicious person with a gun near a bank, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a news release. Cook saw the man, later identified as 40-year-old Kenneth Joel Dothard, and realized he had previously had contact with him, the release said.

Dothard became agitated and put his hand on his gun when he heard Cook calling for backup. Cook tried to restrain Dothard's hands and told him not to draw his gun, the release said. When Dothard began to draw his weapon, Cook drew his own gun and fired twice, hitting Dothard in the head, the release says.

Carrollton Police Chief Joel Richards asked the GBI to investigate, and that investigation is ongoing, the release said. When the investigation is complete, the file will be turned over to the district attorney, who will determine whether any charges are appropriate.

Dothard had two felony convictions on drug-related charges and had been living at the Efficiency Lodge in Carrollton, the release said.

Cook has worked for the Carrollton Police Department for seven and a half years. He wasn't injured and has been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the GBI investigation.

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