New video, details released in deadly shooting of off-duty Atlanta police officer in Douglas County

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Authorities have released video showing the moments before an off-duty Atlanta police investigator was fatally shot by a Douglas County homeowner during an apparent mental health episode Friday morning.

Publish Date: Tuesday 8th October 2024
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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Authorities have released video showing the moments before an off-duty Atlanta police investigator was fatally shot by a Douglas County homeowner during an apparent mental health episode Friday morning.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said they were releasing Ring surveillance video from the deadly incident, along with more details on the case, to push back on “widespread speculation and misinformation circulating on social media” about it.

On Friday, the sheriff’s office said deputies responded to a call about a person shot at a house off Orkney Way in Winston around 5 a.m.

Deputies said Friday that video showed a man “experiencing a mental health episode or under the influence of narcotics attempt[ing] to break into the front door of a residence.”

The homeowner shot the intruder in self-defense, according to deputies. Atlanta police identified the man as Aubree Horton, an investigator who joined the department in 2015 and was assigned to their fugitive unit.

Law enforcement later found that Horton lived in the same neighborhood, about half a mile from the home where the shooting happened.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man shoots, kills off-duty APD officer who broke into his Douglas County home, sheriff says

On Monday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office released the homeowner’s Ring video “to provide additional clarity and transparency,” along with an updated narrative of the incident to “avoid further confusion, misinterpretation and false claims.”

The video shows Horton, who is shirtless, running to the house while shouting. Horton slams against the door and yells for help. At one point he screams: “No, kill me!”

The sheriff’s office redacted parts of the video, including the sound of the fatal shot. They said the full video will be released when the case is closed.

They said “multiple false rumors have surfaced,” including claims that the head of their Criminal Investigation Division was the homeowner involved in the shooting; the sheriff’s office said Horton did not know the homeowner.

They also pushed back on claims that Horton was involved in a domestic disturbance, and that a family member of Horton’s sought refuge at the home. They said both claims are false.

The sheriff’s office said they can’t provide a full report yet because they’re waiting on crucial evidence in the ongoing investigation, including a toxicology report, which could take several months, but they provided the following details in their updated narrative Monday:

Officer Aubree Horton arrived at the home around 5:08 a.m. Monday.

The homeowner’s wife left for work shortly before the incident. While on her way to work, she received multiple notifications from her Ring doorbell camera, saw the situation unfolding, and immediately called 911.

The homeowner was in bed when he was alerted by the commotion outside.

The household previously experienced an attempted burglary in 2021, where a back door leading to the bedroom was kicked open around 4 a.m. while the homeowner and his wife were asleep. That incident led the couple to enhance security on their home, including installing cameras and reinforcing exterior doors.

The homeowner, who was concerned for his safety and the safety of his wife, whom he thought could still be at the home, armed himself and approached the front door.

In the Ring video, the homeowner asked Horton who he was and called out to his wife to see if she was still in the house or outside.

The video footage shows the homeowner talking with Horton through the door, asking if he could help.

When the homeowner slightly cracked the door, trying to see what was going on, “Horton forcibly rushed inside, knocking the homeowner to the ground.”

”Fearing for his life and in defense of his home,” the homeowner fired a single round, fatally wounding Horton inside the home.

A Douglas County patrol officer who lives nearby and was about to leave for work heard the commotion and rushed over to help.

Investigators from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office arrived and were initially unable to identify Horton, who was found without identification and wearing no shirt or shoes. His identity was later confirmed using a portable fingerprint scanner, and further investigation revealed that he lived near the location.

The sheriff’s office said they and the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office are confident that charges will not be filed against the homeowner.

December 22, 2024

Story attribution: Josh White
Atlanta News First

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