White Ga. officer shoots, kills black unarmed, naked man

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — An officer shot and killed a naked, unarmed man at an apartment complex Monday afternoon, police said.

Police and witnesses give consistent accounts of what happened in the parking lot of the Heights at Chamblee apartments. A DeKalb County police officer, identified as seven-year veteran Robert Olsen, fatally shot a man who witnesses said was knocking on doors and acting bizarre.

An investigation led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will determine if the DeKalb County police officer was justified in shooting the victim, identified by the Associated Press as Anthony Hill, 27.

Police were called to the complex by a 911 caller who said a suspicious man was running through the complex.

"The caller reported a male acting deranged, knocking on doors and crawling around on the ground naked," said DeKalb County Police Chief Dr. Cedric Alexander in a Monday afternoon news conference.

The New York Times quoted Alexander as indicating the officer is white and the victim is black.

When officers arrived, they found the man completely unclothed, in the parking lot.

"The man, he was like drugged, but he was naked, and he was crawling," Oscar Perez said. "I think the police officer thought he was going to attack, so he shot him."

Police gave a similar account at the news conference.

"When the male saw the officer, he charged, running at the officer," Alexander said. "The officer called to him to stop, while stepping backward. He then drew his weapon and fired two shots."

Police said no weapon was found at the scene, and it appears the man was unarmed. One of the questions that will be examined during the investigation is whether the officer could have used a lesser, alternative method of force to subdue the man.

"Yes, he was equipped with all the appropriately issued police equipment, including taser," Alexander said. The chief said the officer also had pepper spray at his disposal.

In an effort to be as transparent and as fair as possible, Alexander said he has asked the GBI to conduct the investigation. He said he wants to be as fair as possible to the officer and to the victim.

The officer involved is a seven-year veteran of the force, and he will be placed on administrative leave during the investigation, Alexander said.

According to the New York Times, the incident was the third fatal police shooting since Friday of a black man who was or appeared to be unarmed. Tony Robinson, 19, was killed by a police officer in Madison, Wis., on Friday during a scuffle inside an apartment. The same day, a police officer in Aurora, Colo., shot and killed Naeschylus Vinzant, 37, a parolee who had cut off an ankle monitor. He was wanted in an "assault, robbery, kidnapping and domestic violence" incident.

Hill's name has become a Twitter hashtag by people expressing frustration and anger over police shootings.