ATLANTA — The family of one of the two Henry County police officers shot in a subdivision Thursday said he is an Army veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan before becoming a police officer.
The Henry County officers have not been identified.
Rick Coursey told 11Alive’s Jon Shirek that one of the officers is his son-in-law. He is 33 years old and has been on the force for about six years.
“It’s a terrible accident … I really don’t know what I’m saying,” Coursey said.
The situation is still fluid and police are at the home where police said the suspect is holding a 16-year-old boy hostage. As of 11 p.m., police said the barricaded subject has refused to surrender and refused to provide proof of the well-being of a female and the 16-year-old inside the residence. Henry County police said Command made the decision to deploy gas into the residence. They said the suspect did fire numerous rounds at SWAT officers and vehicles, but no injuries were reported. No officers returned fire or engaged the suspect.
The officers injured, who have not been identified, "likely assisted each other" in getting out of the home alive, Smith said. One officer was struck in the hand and the other officer was struck in the upper torso and hip area.
They were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in "serious" condition but are now stable with non-life threatening injuries.
Both are veteran officers who have each been with the department for about seven years. Both men are in their thirties and their families have been notified, Smith said.
