Man dead, officer injured after traffic stop leads to gunfire in Woodstock

Traffic stop leads to deadly highway shootout

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is probing a fatal shooting in Woodstock after a driver fled a traffic stop on I-575 and opened fire on local officers.

WOODSTOCK, Ga. - A Woodstock police officer shot and killed a man who opened fire on authorities following a chase along Interstate 575 on Wednesday.

What we know:

According to the Woodstock Police Department, officers originally pulled a man over for a traffic stop near Highway 92 on Wednesday evening. 

The man took off instead, leading officers on a chase to Towne Lake Parkway. 

Police say the man then fired at officers, and an officer shot back, hitting the man. 

Fire and rescue teams from Woodstock and Cherokee County tried to provide medical aid, but the man died at the scene. 

One officer was injured but is expected to be OK.

What they're saying:

"So at 6:38 p.m., one of our officers initiated a traffic stop at Georgia 92 and Interstate 575 northbound, at which time the officer instructed the driver to get out of the vehicle, which he refused and took off, fled the scene, and they stopped again at I-575 and Town Lake Parkway, right here behind us, at which time he started firing on officers," Woodstock Police Officer Denise Godfrey told FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Denise Dillon, who added that was when the officers returned fire.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not yet released the name of the man who died or explained why he was originally pulled over for a traffic stop. 

It is also unclear exactly how the officer was injured during the shootout.

What's next:

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was asked to look into the shooting, which is standard procedure for incidents involving officers. 

The Woodstock Police Department requested an independent investigation, as Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and Georgia State Patrol also assisted with the scene.