Zadarious Dorsey, 18, was shot and killed by a Newnan police officer. His family viewed body camera footage of the encounter as demonstrators gathered outside the Newnan Police Department.
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - The Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office disclosed new evidence Monday regarding the police shooting of 18-year-old Zadarious Dorsey.
Investigators confirmed Dorsey's DNA was on a stolen handgun recovered near the scene of the Oct. 3 foot chase in Newnan.
What we know:
District Attorney John Cranford Jr. met Thursday with civil attorneys, family members, NAACP leadership and local officials to present evidence gathered by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
A Canik 9mm pistol with an extended magazine and one bullet in the chamber was found 42 feet from where Dorsey fell, according to the district attorney's office.
The gun was reported stolen out of Albany, Georgia, and a GBI report completed Oct. 15 matched DNA on the firearm to Dorsey.
Dorsey was barred from possessing firearms under conditions of an Oct. 10, 2025 bond in Coweta County and a Feb. 16, 2026 bond in Carroll County, the office said.
Surveillance footage from Cliff Circle showed the vehicle carrying Dorsey was never stopped, and other occupants walked away freely before the car drove off at 1:23 a.m.
At 1:11 a.m., an officer pulled up in an unmarked vehicle wearing a vest marked "POLICE" with a visible badge attached.
The officer ordered only Dorsey to "stop" and called him "Dae Dae" during the foot pursuit.
The officer was present during Dorsey's previous arrests in October 2025 and May 2024 involving alleged gun possession, as well as an August 2023 trespass incident at Newnan High School.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
- Newnan teen was unarmed when officer shot him, family attorneys say
- What led to the deadly Newnan police shooting of 18-year-old
- Family hires Ben Crump after 18-year-old killed by Newnan police
- Protesters gather in Newnan as family views bodycam of police shooting
- 18-year-old shot by Newnan police officer, killed after foot chase
- DA asks to expedite autopsy in Newnan police shooting
What we don't know:
The GBI investigation remains active, and officials have not completed the final autopsy report.
Prosecutors have not taken a legal position on whether the officer had reasonable suspicion for the initial stop. Officials have not announced a final charging decision regarding the officer's use of deadly force.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney John Cranford Jr., who detailed the GBI investigation and meeting proceedings in an official press release.