ATLANTA — Less than two weeks after an Atlanta Police Department officer was indicted on a murder charge in the 2019 death of an 18-year-old, the department confirmed he has retired from the force.
Officer Oliver Simmonds was due to have an emergency hearing with the department to determine his employment, however, because of his retirement, APD said that hearing never happened.
The agency confirmed to 11Alive's Cody Alcorn his retirement was made official on Nov. 9.
Simmonds was indicted on felony murder on Oct. 28 as well as aggravated assault and two counts of violation of oath by a public officer charges, Fulton County Superior Court records show.
The law enforcement officer is accused of shooting and killing D'ettrick Griffin nearly four years ago. Griffin, who was 18 at the time, was allegedly trying to steal the officer's unmarked police car.
Simmonds was off-duty and in plain clothes while at a Shell gas station on Whitehall Street SW between Northside Drive and McDaniel Street. Georgia Bureau of Investigation was asked to help investigate the case.
Photos | D'ettrick Griffin
According to the GBI, Griffin entered the vehicle and tried to drive away. Simmonds tried to stop the teen as he drove off and fired his service weapon, investigators said.
Griffin continued driving southbound on Whitehall Street and hit two cars coming to a stop, according to authorities. Atlanta Police officers who were called to assist found Griffin dead at the scene, the agency said.
After Griffin's death, APD said Simmonds was placed on a non-enforcement assignment. Following his 2022 indictment, the officer "was relieved from his administrative assignment and suspended without pay," according to APD.
In October, APD said an emergency hearing was being scheduled to determine the next step regarding his employment with the force. Simmonds had been employed with APD since April 2010.