The war on police is heating up in Georgia. Early this morning, two Byron, Georgia police officers were shot and wounded while serving a drug-related arrest warrant. According to Macon News, the two officers are part of the Peach County Drug Task force. The task force includes officers from Crawford and Peach counties, as well as Byron and Fort Valley.
At approximately 2:10 a.m., eight officers of the task force arrived at 6750 Ga 42 South to serve an arrest warrant on drug charges. The officers, dressed in protective gear, knocked three times on the door. When they received no response, they made entry into the residence.
Photo: Pixabay/stevepb
As soon as they entered the domicile, an unnamed suspect shot at them. Officers James Wynn and William Patterson, both of the Byron Police Department, were injured in the shooting. Police returned fire, killing the suspected shooter. The gunman’s girlfriend and their one-month-old baby were present in the home but were not injured. The injured officers were transported to Medical Center, Navicent Health, in Macon, Georgia for treatment.
Photo: Pixabay/Benjamin Nelan
According to USA Today, Officer William Patterson was treated and released. Officer Patterson has been with the Byron PD for little over a month. The other injured officer, Officer James Wynn underwent surgery but is in stable condition at this time. Officer Wynn has been on the Byron PD for four years and is expected to make a full recovery.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent J.T. Ricketson said the investigation into the shooting is being handled by the GBI who locked down the scene and secured search warrants for the property. The task force, with the assistance of Bibb County, was working to collect weapons from inside the home.
Photo: Public Domain/Scott Sanchez
Sadly, to arrive at this crime scene, officers had to drive past the scene where two other Byron Police Officers, Patrick Sondron and Daryl Smallwood, were fatally wounded less than a month ago.
Crawford County Sheriff’s Capt. Johnny Cleveland said no officers from his department were involved, although all law enforcement is affected by the officer shootings that are becoming much more frequent.
“I guess it’s a sign of the times,” he said. At least eight Georgia law enforcement officers died on duty this year, prior to the last two attacks. Rural Georgia has become an epicenter of violence against police, with the area south of Macon being hit the hardest. These deaths represent an increase of more than 200% over 2015.
