Video: Bystander Helps Atlanta Police Officer Subdue Fleeing Suspect
An Atlanta police officer in a foot chase with a man accused of pointing a gun at people received unexpected help from a bystander who helped the officer subdue the suspect.
An Atlanta police officer chasing a suspect accused of pointing a gun at people got help from a bystander to subdue the man.
The bystander punched the suspect repeatedly and helped the officer secure the man's weapon during a struggle on the ground.
While grateful, the department cautioned against civilian intervention in armed encounters.
An Atlanta police officer received help from a bystander while trying to chase down and apprehend a fleeing suspect armed with what turned out to be a BB gun last week.
The incident happened Friday when an officer responded to a report of an individual pointing a gun at people, WANF-TV reports. The suspect—later identified as Harold Sullivan—when the officer confronted him, kicking off a foot pursuit.
During the chase, the officer was able to tackle Sullivan. As the two struggled on the pavement, a bystander—identified as Marquez Burnette—came to the aid of the officer, punching Sullivan repeatedly and helping the officer secure the suspect's weapon.
"Thank you, bro," the officer told Burnette.
Sullivan was taken into custody, and he faces battery, assault and other charges.
“I’m glad the officer is OK. I’m glad I’m OK," Burnette told WSB-TV. "I’m just thankful nobody got killed."
While thankful for Burnette's help, the department cautioned residents from
"Intervening in the apprehension of a potentially armed individual can pose serious to both the citizen and officers on scene," the agency said in a statement.
“Our number one priority is the safety of our community, and that includes the safety of our residents and those who work tirelessly to protect them," the department added.
Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
