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Woman barricades herself in ER room, officer shoots her after he was blinded by hand sanitizer, GBI says

The shooting happened early Monday morning after officers were called to Hamilton Medical Center’s Emergency Department in Dalton.

DALTON, Ga. — Georgia agents are investigating a shooting involving a Dalton Police Officer at an emergency room.

The shooting happened early Monday morning after officers were called to Hamilton Medical Center’s Emergency Department.

Police were called after a woman barricaded herself in a patient room, damaging equipment and “resisting efforts by staff to help her,” according to a release from the Dalton Police Department. 

While trying to take the woman into custody, an officer “received injuries to his eyes” and shot at the woman, hitting her, the release said. 

Dalton Police said the woman was treated for the gunshot wound and is expected to recover. The officer was also treated for his injuries. 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation later said in a preliminary statement that the woman "threw an unknown chemical liquid substance into one of the officer’s eyes, causing the officer to temporarily lose his sight." The liquid substance, the GBI said, was later determined to be hand sanitizer.

The woman was released into the custody of the Dalton Police Department, the GBI said. She faces aggravated battery against an officer, obstruction of an officer and criminal damage charges. 

The GBI said once it finishes its independent investigation, it will be given to the Whitfield County District Attorney’s Office for review.   

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