Woman shot and killed by Troup County deputies, officials say. What we know
.jpg "A woman has died after being shot by Troup County deputies. Officials say the woman called 911 expressing that she was suicidal, and pointed a gun at officers.")
Troup County deputies shot and killed a woman Monday who had called 911 and indicated she was suicidal, according to a news release from the Troup County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said Troup County 911 received a 911 call at 9:09 p.m. Monday from a woman at a home in the 200 block of Mountain Laurel Drive. During the call, the woman threatened suicide and made threats to harm anyone who came in her house, according to the news release.
Authorities said deputies from the Troup County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched along with Troup County AMR, an ambulance crew who staged in the area in case they were needed.
Responding deputies immediately began to attempt to communicate with the woman in the home through verbal commands and having 911 operators try to call her phone, the sheriff’s office said.
The release said the woman would talk with 911 operators several times and then hang up the phone. Deputies were never able to make direct contact with the woman, according to the news release.
The “back and forth” lasted for more than 30 minutes before the woman opened the door shortly after 10 p.m. and pointed a handgun directly at the deputies, according to the news release.
“Having no other option, the deputies shot the female who then fell inside the home,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Deputies immediately called for AMR and fire personnel who attempted life saving measures, according to the news release. Authorities said the woman died on the scene.
The name of the victim was not released by the Troup County Sheriff’s Office at the time of publication.
“We are still working to confirm all appropriate next of kin notifications have been made before releasing the name,” Lt. Stewart Smith, the Troup County Sheriff’s Office public information officer, told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Smith said Troup County Sheriff’s Office deputies take annual training to learn how to de-escalate tense situations.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to conduct an independent investigation, according to the news release. The release said the deputies involved, who were not identified, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.