GBI: Deputy shoots man in arm after mistakenly drawing gun instead of Taser

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says a Baldwin County deputy shot a man in the arm after he mistakenly drew his gun instead of a Taser.

The GBI was asked by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Monday to investigate an officer-involved shooting.

Tuesday, the GBI identified the man shot as 18-year-old Jamel Jackson and the deputy who fired his weapon as Charles Gillis.

Jackson is expected to be released from a Macon, Ga., hospital today and Gillis has been placed on administrative leave.

The incident began when deputies responded to a domestic call for assistance at 49 West Apartments and encountered Jackson and his mother who had called for assistance at her apartment.

According to the GBI, three Baldwin County deputies responded to this incident, including one deputy for the initial response with two additional deputies later responding to assist the first responding deputy.

The first responding deputy arrived on the scene at 2:14 pm where he initiated his body-cam. Jackson’s mother said her son had struck her.

The deputy observed evidence resulting from a potential altercation on the mother’s face and was going to arrest Jackson for battery/family violence. Jackson would not comply with the arrest; therefore, the deputy called for assistance.

The deputy continued to talk with Jackson until such time two more deputies arrived to assist with the arrest. When two of the deputies attempted to physically arrest Jackson, Jackson resisted and a brief physical struggle ensued. The deputies made preparations to shock Jackson to gain compliance from Jackson when Gillis mistakenly drew his instead of his Taser, firing one shot into Jackson’s arm.

The deputies administered first aid until the arrival of EMS.

Gillis told GBI agents his intent was to use his Taser. This incident has been viewed by the GBI from the vantage point of three different body cams worn by each responding deputy and the actual shooting is captured on body cam.

Gillis is the only law enforcement officer who fired a weapon and there were no Taser deployments by any of the deputies during the encounter.

Warrants for Jackson’s arrest for battery/family violence (misdemeanor) and obstruction of a law enforcement officer (misdemeanor) have been secured by the GBI.

The investigation is continuing.

This story was originally published October 10, 2017 at 2:34 PM with the headline "GBI: Deputy shoots man in arm after mistakenly drawing gun instead of Taser."