MACON, Ga. (AP) - A district attorney in central Georgia said a deputy was justified in shooting and wounding a fleeing armed suspect.
Bibb County District Attorney David Cooke said Monday that Deputy Jeremiah Moneypenny was “justified in his actions” when he opened fire on Benjamin Curtis Bivins earlier this month, news outlets reported.
Bivins, 29, has since been released from the hospital and was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and two gun-possession charges.
The investigation found that Bivins fought with a man about 1:30 a.m. on March 1. Cooke said the man ran and Bivins followed, firing two shots.
Moneypenny was in the area, saw the shooting and ordered Bivins to drop his weapon, but Bivins ran, Cooke said.
The deputy chased Bivins and during the chase, Bivins turned to look at the deputy while still holding the gun, Cooke said. Moneypenny believed Bivins was going to shoot him, so he fired several shots at Bivins and the two exchanged gunfire until Bivins was caught, Cooke said.
Moneypenny was placed on paid administrative leave.
“In a case where the facts are clear, there is no need to delay getting the deputy back to work,” Cooke said,
It’s unclear whether Bivins had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
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