The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is investigating the death of a 17-year-old male who was fatally shot by Gwinnett County police on Friday afternoon during a mental health crisis in Sugar Hill, near downtown.
According to Cpl. Collin Flynn, the teen called 911 at approximately 4:26 p.m., reporting to the dispatcher that he was armed with a knife and handgun near the roundabout at the intersection of West Broad Street and Whitehead Road.
The identity of the teen has not yet been released.
“The male informed emergency dispatchers that he was a danger to himself and others,” Flynn said in a statement.
Officers from the Gwinnett County Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit, along with a trained clinician, were dispatched to the scene. Flynn stated that the clinician attempted to engage with the teen over the phone while en route to the location.
During the conversation, the teen disclosed that he was suffering from depression and had suicidal thoughts.
Upon arrival, police parked a short distance away from the teen, who was standing in the roadway. Officers issued commands for him to drop his weapons.
“As officers and the clinician tried to negotiate for several minutes, the male suddenly began sprinting toward two officers while swinging a knife,” Flynn explained. “The officers, fearing for their safety, discharged their weapons.”
The teen was struck by gunfire at least once. Despite immediate calls for medical assistance from the Gwinnett County Fire Department, the teen was pronounced dead at the scene due to his injuries.
The GBI has taken over the investigation of the shooting, with further updates expected from state authorities.
