Atlanta police confirmed Monday night that one of their officers opened fire on a man, killing him.
Police said they were called out for a report of a fight between 28-year-old Dearian Bell and his wife just before 7:30 p.m. along Casanova Street in southeast Atlanta.
Investigators said Bell and woman were inside a car when they arrived at the scene.
Officers said the woman got out and told them Bell had a gun. Investigators said one of the responding officers attempted to talk Bell into putting the gun down but was unsuccessful.
That’s when police said they requested a crisis negotiator come to the scene to help.
Before the negotiator could get to the scene, police said Bell got out of the car and started approaching an officer while holding his gun.
That’s when investigators said the officer opened fire, hitting Bell.
“He had been told numerous times to place that weapon down but unfortunately he did not,” said Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Timothy Peek.
Officers rendered aid to Bell at the scene. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died from his injuries.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to look into the shooting.
“We call in the GBI to conduct a thorough and independent investigation so we can insure the facts for all the community to understand,” Peek said.
No officers were injured during the incident.
This is the 73rd officer involved shooting that the GBI has been requested to investigate in 2020.
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