What led to a deadly police shooting in Rome on Friday afternoon
South Broad Street stop leads to fatal shooting
A 61-year-old man died after firing at an officer during a Rome traffic stop.
ROME, Ga. - A Rome police officer shot and killed a 61-year-old man who opened fire during a traffic stop Friday afternoon, triggering an independent state investigation.
Rome police shooting
What we know:
A Rome Police Department officer pulled over a pickup truck in the 200 block of South Broad Street Southwest around noon on Friday.
The driver, identified as 61-year-old Jeron Bruce Bradford, immediately got out of the truck and confronted the officer, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigaiton.
State investigators say Bradford refused to follow verbal commands from the officer, pulled a gun from his pants, and fired at the officer.
The officer returned fire, striking Bradford, who was taken to a local hospital where he died.
No police officers suffered injuries during the confrontation.
The Rome Police Department requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to lead the inquiry after officers were involved in a shooting.
Local perspective:
The large police presence was concentrated near the intersection of Etowah Terrace, Myrtle Street, and South Broad Street.
South Broad Street has since reopened after being closed for hours. Police are asking drivers traveling through the area to proceed with caution while law enforcement personnel continue working.
Rome City Schools added that Anna K. Davie Elementary was placed on a code yellow precautionary lockdown due to a possible incident in the vicinity. The school is less than a mile away. The lockdown has since been lifted.
Officials have released few details regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
GBI investigating police shooting in Rome
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is probing an officer-involved shooting at a South Broad Street gas station in Rome.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released details regarding why the officer initially initiated the traffic stop on the pickup truck. Officials have also not disclosed how many total rounds were fired during the brief exchange.
What's next:
Bradford’s body will be transferred to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. Once state agents finish their independent investigation, the completed case file will be turned over to the Floyd County District Attorney's Office for formal review.
What you can do:
Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Calhoun at (706) 624-1424, call the tip line at 800-597-TIPS (8477), or submit details online or through the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
The Source: The information in this story came from a statement via email from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and a Facebook post regarding heavy police presence from the Rome Police Department. This story has been updated since it was originally published.