Officer Wounded in Shootout Released from Hospital
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Police said two men were arrested after an officer was shot during a gun battle at a gas station in DeKalb County.
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Police said it started at Interstate 285 at Lavista Road when officers tried to stop a black Chevrolet SUV occupied by two men who were believed to be involved in a gun running investigation. Officers followed the vehicle to a gas station near the corner of Lawrenceville Highway and Northlake Parkway around 4 p.m. The DeKalb County Director of Public Safety, Dr. Cedric Alexander, said when officers tried to stop the men inside, they crashed into the sign at the Racetrac gas station. The pair crawled out of the SUV and that is when the gun battle erupted, according to Dr. Alexander.
WATCH: Coverage of the shooting as it unfolded on FOX 5 Atlanta's YouTube channel
The officer, identified by police as 47-year-old Marco Vizcarrando, a 19-year veteran of the Department, was shot in his shoulder. Dr. Alexander described his wound as being “nasty”, but was a “through and through” injury. He was rushed by helicopter to Grady Memorial Hospital. He was released later that same evening.
Rome Crow, 21, was taken into custody at the gas station while 24-year-old Isiah McCray fled, according to investigators. Police said they caught the McCray in some woods off Robinhill Drive using a K9. Neither suffered any major injuries..
Crow and McCray are both charged with Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and Felony Obstruction.
An additional gun was found inside the SUV, according to police.
Witnesses tell FOX 5's Portia Bruner they heard multiple shots and saw two men by the gas pumps at the Racetrac exchanging fire with an officer in uniform. The witness said the officer and one of the men fell to the ground.
Passengers on a nearby MARTA bus said the driver noticed the activity and yelled for them to get down. They heard multiple gunshots and saw people running from the scene immediately following.
Traffic in the area around the scene as well as at Interstate 285 was impacted for several hours. The intersection at Lawrenceville Highway and Northlake Parkway was shut down during the investigation. There was also a closure on Interstate 285 in between Lawrenceville Highway and U.S. 78. Both roads have since reopened.