Suspect in Tift officer shooting identified

TIFTON — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has released the identity of a man involved in an officer involved shooting here over the weekend.

In a new release sent to media on Monday, GBI officials said Justin Freeman, 40, of Robbins, N.C., was shot by a Tift County Sheriff’s deputy after Robbins fired multiple shots at officers, striking one of them multiple times. Freeman, who was initially listed in serious condition by the GBI, as was the deputy he shot, will be transported to the Tift County Jail upon his release from the hospital. The deputy has already been released from the hospital.

Preliminary information about the incident indicated that early Friday morning, Tift County sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call about a disturbance by two men in an Eldorado neighborhood located in the 1400 block of Tifton Eldorado Road. The men were reportedly knocking on multiple doors. Deputies located the men and attempted to identify them. During the incident, one of the men fired shots at a deputy, striking the deputy multiple times. Another deputy returned fire, striking the man.

The second man involved in the incident was taken into custody.

The GBI’s independent investigation is ongoing. Once the investigation is complete, it will be submitted to the Tift County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Special Logo