South Fulton man home after officer shoots him, two dogs
Barking dogs, gunshots fired, and a South Fulton man injured
A South Fulton man was shot in the foot and his two dogs were injured after Fairburn police officers opened fire at his residence following an encounter with his sister in the roadway.
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - A man shot in the foot by a Fairburn police officer outside his South Fulton home has been released from the hospital and is speaking about what happened.
What they're saying:
Dustin Lackey told FOX 5 Atlanta he was trying to bring one of his dogs inside when the officer fired. Lackey was treated at Grady Memorial Hospital and has returned home. He said the bullet remains in his foot.
The shooting happened shortly after midnight Thursday at a home in the 300 block of Bishop Road.
According to an initial incident report, Fairburn officers were investigating a report of a woman in the roadway and approached the home for information. Several dogs ran toward an officer when the door opened, the report says. The officer fired at the dogs, striking Lackey in the foot.
Man describes being shot by Fairburn officer
FOX 5 Atlanta talked to the man who was shot earlier today by a Fairburn police officer. The officer also shot his two dogs. The officer was responding to a report about a distraught woman. FOX 5 Atlanta's Marc Teichner reporting live from the scene.
Lackey disputes account of what happened at the door
What they're saying:
Lackey said his sister had been experiencing a mental health crisis before someone called police. He said the officers did not identify themselves and that their knocking caused the door to open.
"They knocked so hard on my door, my door just popped open," Lackey said.
He said the officer shot his German shepherd and pit bull after they ran outside. According to Lackey, one dog then came back out, and he tried to grab it before the officer fired again.
"I was trying to get my hands on him so I could wrap him up and bring him back in the house so he didn’t get shot again," Lackey said.
Both dogs are alive and receiving treatment at a veterinary clinic after animal control took them there. No officer was injured during the incident, according to officials.
The officer who fired works for the Fairburn Police Department. South Fulton officers arrived after the shooting, and authorities later confirmed the home is within South Fulton city limits. The GBI has taken over the investigation, which is common procedure when a police officer is involved in a shooting.
The other side:
According to the GBI, officers were called to an area on the border of South Fulton Police Department's jurisdiction and Fairburn Police Department's jurisdiction around midnight for a woman who was sitting in the road.
Two Fairburn police officers were the first to respond and spoke with the woman. She told them she lived in the 300 block of Bishop Road and so the officers drove her home.
When the officers and the woman arrived, two dogs reportedly charged at them, the GBI said. One of the officers fired shots, hitting the two dogs and a Lackey.
What's next:
Once the GBI completes its investigation, the case will be turned over to the Atlanta Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office for review.
EARLIER REPORT
Dogs, man shot in South Fulton incident
A woman claims her two dogs and husband were shot earlier today during an incident in South Fulton involving the Fairburn Police Department. Police have admitted to firing at the dogs and shooting the man in the foot. FOX 5 Atlanta's Marc Teichner reporting.
What you can do:
Lackey's wife organized an online GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover Dustin's orthopedic surgery, ongoing veterinary bills for their two dogs, and temporary housing expenses. You can view more information here.