Suspect in Georgia police shooting killed by officer

SNELLVILLE, Ga. — A police officer Monday shot and killed an 18-year-old man accused of fatally shooting another officer near a school over the weekend, police said.

Tafahree Maynard was one of two men charged in the fatal shooting Saturday of Gwinnett County Police Officer Antwan Toney. Police launched a manhunt as Maynard faced charges of aggravated assault and felony murder.

Police received information about Maynard’s whereabouts at 3 a.m. Monday, said Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers. Two officers searching a shed behind a house that belonged to someone Maynard knew encountered Maynard about Toney 11 a.m. Monday, police said. Maynard refused to surrender and failed to comply with commands to show his hands, police said.

One officer fired his stun gun, which didn’t incapacitate Maynard, police said. Maynard then pulled out a lawnmower blade and moved aggressively toward officers, prompting the second officer to fire his gun, killing Maynard, police said.

“I would like to say that the danger to the community is over,” Ayers said at a news conference, adding that police would continue to investigate any potential charges against people who may have provided assistance to Maynard.

A second suspect in Toney’s shooting, 19-year-old Isaiah Pretlow, was charged Maynard with aggravated assault. According to police, Pretlow drove the suspicious vehicle away after the shooting, crashed a short distance away and fled along with other occupants. An officer searching the area encountered Pretlow around 3 p.m. Saturday. Pretlow pointed a gun at the officer, who fired shots, according to police. Pretlow was not hit and fled into some woods. He was taken into custody around 11:30 p.m. Saturday by U.S. marshals.

Toney, 30, was responding to a call about 2:30 p.m. Saturday about a suspicious vehicle near Shiloh Middle School in the Snellville area, about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. When he and his partner approached, someone inside the vehicle fired and Toney was hit, police said. The vehicle sped off.