Henry County Officer Placed on Leave After Fatal Stockbridge Shooting of Teen as State Investigators Review the Case and Body Camera Questions Mount

STOCKBRIDGE, GA — A Henry County police officer has been placed on administrative leave after fatally shooting a 16-year-old boy in a Stockbridge parking lot, the department said Tuesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is handling the independent inquiry into the November 3 shooting. Police said the officer is no longer on active duty while that investigation continues, and they extended condolences to the teenager’s family.

The shooting has drawn community attention as residents ask for more information about what happened and when body camera footage may be released. County officials say that decision will be governed by investigators and legal authorities because the evidence remains part of an active case.

What police say happened before the shooting

According to Henry County police, the encounter began just after 6:30 p.m. on November 3 at the Krispy Kreme parking lot at 120 Hwy 138 W in Stockbridge.

The department said an officer approached two teenagers and saw the 17-year-old hand a handgun to the 16-year-old. Police said the younger teen then ran, prompting the officer to chase him on foot and order him to drop the weapon.

When the teen did not comply, the officer fired, killing him at the scene. Police said the gun was recovered and that no officers were injured.

GBI now leads the independent investigation

The Henry County Police Department said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the case, not local police. That outside review is meant to examine the circumstances of the shooting independently.

Police said the investigation is still active, which limits what can be released publicly right now. They also said the GBI, rather than the police department, will guide the process as evidence is reviewed and statements are gathered.

For now, the department has not said when the officer may return to duty. The leave is administrative, meaning it is not a disciplinary finding by itself.

Body camera footage remains a point of public concern

Community members have been pressing for the release of body camera video from the shooting. The police department said that material cannot simply be handed out because it is tied to an ongoing investigation.

Any release will have to be handled through the GBI and the proper legal channels, according to the department. Officials did not say whether the footage has already been reviewed or whether a public release date has been set.

The questions around video are part of a broader push by residents seeking a clearer timeline of the moments leading up to the shooting and the decisions made by the officer.

District attorney could decide whether charges are filed

Police said cases like this can take several months to complete. Once the GBI finishes its work, the agency will send the file to the Henry County District Attorney’s Office.

The district attorney will then decide whether any charges are warranted. That step comes only after investigators finish gathering evidence and compiling their findings.

Until then, the county’s police department says it is not the lead investigative agency. The process is now centered on the state review, with any possible legal action deferred until that review is done.

Ways to share information with investigators

The GBI is asking anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. The agency’s Atlanta Regional Investigative Office can be reached at (770) 388-5019.

People who want to remain anonymous can call the tip line at (800) 597-8477 or submit information online through the GBI website.

Police have said the recovered gun was part of the scene, but investigators are still piecing together the full sequence of events. The case remains under review as the state inquiry moves ahead.