LAGRANGE, Ga. (WRBL) – The LaGrange Police Department has released body camera video of an officer involved shooting in which a man with a machete was shot by a police officer on Tuesday.
According to police, the shooting happened on Sept. 28, 2021, following a 911 call made at 5:18 a.m. The call reported a man with a machete near Karvelas Pizza restaurant.
Police say after the 911 call, three separate contacts were made with the individual with the machete, identified Ronald McCormick, age 39.
The first encounter with McCormick, described as a consensual stop, was made on Greenville Street, east of the LaFayette square, according to police.
Police say it was at this time that the responding officer, Corporal David Horseman, confirmed McCormick was armed with a machete. The officer got McCormick to identified himself and then radioed in to dispatch for more information on him.
According to police, dispatch relayed that McCormick had felony Bench Warrants for Battery, Cruelty to Children, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Driving in his police cruiser, the officer continued to follow McCormick as he was walking near Hill Street, according to police.
Police say a second contact with McCormick was made at the 100 block of Hill Street, where McCormick was ordered to surrender. McCormick refused and ran away. The officer radioed in for backup.
Officers followed after McCormick on foot and began to set up a perimeter.
The third contact with McCormick was made when he came from between two buildings. According to police, Corporal Horseman issued verbal commands telling McCormick to drop the machete and surrender, but McCormick instead ran at Horseman.
Police say Horseman fired his taser at McCormick and it failed to stop him. Horseman then fired his gun at McCormick.
McCormick was shot in the stomach and legs, according to police. He is currently in stable condition after undergoing surgery in Columbus.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in by the LaGrange Police Department to investigate the shooting.
WARNING! VIDEO MAY BE DISTURBING. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
The following news release was issued by the LaGrange Police Department with the video:
LaGrange Police has released police video surrounding the events that led to the officer involved shooting which occurred during the early morning hours of September 28, 2021. The video released is the culmination of officers’ body and vehicle recordings that document each of the three separate contacts made with Ronald McCormick after a citizen reported an armed subject acting suspicious near Lafayette Square. The initial encounter was made on Greenville Street, east of the LaFayette square as a part of a consensual stop. Police officers confirmed that the subject was armed with a machete so an application of de-escalation techniques allowed for the officer to obtain the subject’s identity. In so far as no crime was determined to have occurred there was no legal basis to detain McCormick and he departed. Officers, a short time later, learned McCormick, had outstanding felony warrants (Bench Warrants for Battery, Cruelty to Children and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine). He was re contacted in the 100 block of Hill Street and directed to submit to an arrest for the outstanding warrants. He refused, taking immediate flight on foot. Officers engaged in a foot pursuit while establishing a perimeter. McCormick emerged from a yard between buildings at which time Corporal Horseman issued verbal commands in an attempt to take the suspect into custody. McCormick yelled, “I don’t give a F–k” and charged Corporal Horseman with the machete over his head in a threatening manner. Corporal Horseman fired his Taser which had no effect and then fired his pistol while backing away which struck McCormick in the abdomen and legs. He was taken into custody and immediately received medical aid from the officers on the scene until the arrival of EMS.
