GBI hints at what caused Columbus police to shoot motorist at traffic stop. Here’s more.
The GBI has released new information regarding an officer involved shooting that occurred Wednesday on Manchester Expressway in Columbus.
A news release from the GBI identified the person injured in the shooting as Jermaine Hernandez, 26, of Phenix City, Ala.
The GBI said that preliminary information indicates that Columbus Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on Manchester Expressway on a vehicle traveling 100 mph in a construction zone.
Hernandez was identified as the driver of the car, according to the GBI.
The release said the car reportedly backfired during the traffic stop causing a loud noise that sounded like gunfire.
The officers then shot at Hernandez multiple times, striking him once, according to the GBI.
The GBI said officers and EMS provided first aid at the scene before taking Hernandez to a local hospital for treatment.
The investigation is active and ongoing, according to the GBI. Both officers are on administrative leave with pay pending the conclusion of the investigation, according to police.
Anyone with information can contact the GBI Regional Investigative Field Office in Columbus at 706-565-7888. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online.
An account from someone near the shooting
Columbus police said the incident occurred around 8:05 a.m. Wednesday.
Cindy Conner, Director of Accounting and Human Resources at Safeguard Forms & Systems Inc., was inside a building nearby when she heard shots being fired.
“I didn’t see the shooting, we just heard it. You know that sound, you knew immediately what it was,” Conner said.
She automatically went outside to check after hearing approximately between 10 or 12 gun shots.
She looked across the street to Manchester Expressway and saw two police officers cautiously approaching a vehicle. Later on, she saw police pull a person out of a vehicle, while more police cars and an ambulance arrived on the scene.
“The guy, he’s in the car, two policemen are behind him, they have their guns drawn.,” Conner related. “About the time they pull him out you just see the cop cars lining up.”
This story was originally published February 8, 2024 at 10:44 AM.