Alleged shoplifter shot, killed by police at Town Center Mall identified

Cobb County mall shooting leaves suspect dead

A 25-year-old shoplifting suspect from Alabama was shot and killed by police after producing a gun in the parking lot of Town Center Mall, according to Cobb County police.  

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A shoplifting suspect is dead after an encounter with Cobb County police officers in the parking lot of the Town Center Mall in Kennesaw on Wednesday. 

What we know:

Officers responded to the mall just before 2 p.m. after receiving reports of a shoplifting in progress. According to the Cobb County Police Department, the man suspected in the shoplifting took off running in the mall parking lot. 

At one point, an officer tried to tase Eatmon multiple times but was unsuccessful.

What we know about a fatal Cobb police shooting at a local mall

A suspected shoplifter was shot and killed by law enforcement officers Wednesday afternoon after pulling a gun during a foot chase through the parking lot of Town Center Mall, police said. 

During the active chase, police say the suspect pulled out a handgun, leading the officer to fire his gun. The suspect was struck by the gunfire and was taken to a local hospital in serious condition, where he later died.

No police officers were injured during the parking lot encounter. 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has also been requested to investigate the incident. The GBI identified the man shot and killed as Cortez Eatmon, 25, of Alabama. 

Cobb officer shooting at Town Center Mall

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating a reported officer-involved shooting at Town Center Mall on Wednesday. 

What we don't know:

It is unknown exactly what items were allegedly stolen from the mall before officers arrived on the scene.

Dig deeper:

In video sent to FOX 5, several gunshots can be heard before three Cobb County officers move in around a man lying on the ground in a parking lot. Officers can be heard yelling, "Don't move! Don't move!" repeatedly. 

What they're saying:

Kyler Ross was on break, sitting in his car, when he saw a man running and officers following after him. 

"Like he probably, it was like a light jog. And then they, they instantly took fire," Ross said of what he witnessed.

"It was like there were three guys standing together, three white cops, and they shot him down. And then you can see the guy, like he was trying to crawl up to fight for his life, but he was gone when they saw his arm go limp, they tried to rush to him, and I think they knew they made a huge mistake," Ross added. 

Shopper Pedro Moore expressed surprise at the violence taking place right outside the busy shopping center. "I shop at the mall all the time. I think of it as a safe place, so for this to happen it's kind of tragic," Moore said.

Additional video shows firefighter-paramedics performing chest compressions on the person shot for several minutes before they were placed into an ambulance.

Video shows officer-involved shooting in Cobb County

The GBI is investigating after a Cobb County police officer opened fire on an individual in a parking lot near Town Center Mall.

"This incident is understandably concerning for our community, and our thoughts remain with all those affected," Cobb County Police Chief Dan Ferrell said. "We are thankful that no officers were injured and remain committed to transparency and a thorough, independent review as the process moves forward."

What's next:

Once the state investigators finish their review, the completed file will be sent to the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office for evaluation. The Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office will perform Eatmon's autopsy.