New Jersey man shot by Newnan police charged after struggle with officer over gun

Newnan officer shoots man in parking lot

A man was shot in Newnan following a struggle with an officer, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

NEWNAN, Ga. - A man who was shot during a struggle with a police officer in Newnan has been charged, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

What we know:

Authorities said the incident happened around 8:30 a.m. in the 900 block of Bullsboro Drive after officers responded to a 911 hang-up call. When officers arrived, they found 29-year-old Sonny Francis Conto, of Glassboro, New Jersey, standing on the steps of a semi-truck, yelling at the driver inside.

The GBI said officers instructed Conto to step down from the truck, but he refused. When one officer tried to assist him down, Conto resisted, and a struggle began. During the altercation, Conto reportedly called for his dog, which was inside a nearby van, and attempted to grab the officer’s weapon.

A second officer ordered Conto to stop resisting, but he continued struggling over the firearm. The second officer then fired their weapon, hitting Conto in the arm.

After being shot, Conto reportedly tried to run away, but was quickly taken into custody. He was taken by ambulance to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

One Newnan police officer also suffered non-life-threatening injuries, was treated at a local hospital, and has since been released.

The GBI is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Newnan. 

What they're saying:

Bob Slay, who was in the parking lot selling pecans for the Kiwanis Club, said he was behind his truck setting up when he heard two gunshots.

"I was behind the truck, and when I heard the shots I stayed behind the truck," he said. "(I’ve) never seen anything like this happen, sure have not."

Slay said he then saw officers and a K-9 chasing a man before they tackled him and applied tourniquets.

He noted that the shopping center is always busy, which is why the Kiwanis Club holds its fundraiser sale there.

What's next:

Conto is charged with obstruction and attempted removal of a firearm from a public official. He will be booked into the Coweta County Jail after being released from the hospital.

Sonny Francis Conto (Coweta County Sheriff's Office).

Dig deeper:

The GBI is investigating the shooting and will deliver its findings to prosecutors. 

It is standard practice for the GBI to investigate any shooting in Georgia in which an officer is shot at or shoots someone.