By Joe Johnson
The man who killed himself Tuesday morning as officers attempted to execute a search warrant at his home was identified by Athens-Clarke County police as 66-year-old Richard King.
The attempt to serve the warrant occurred at about 8 a.m., at King’s home on Forest Road, in the area of Gaines School Road and Cedar Shoals Drive, according to police.
When King was seen holding a gun, police said, officers began “de-escalation and negotiation efforts,” when the man shot himself.
Officers and EMS personnel began life-saving efforts, police said, but the man
succumbed to his injuries.
Police did not say what the search warrants were for.
Per department policy, ACCPD said they requested assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to process the scene and investigate the incident. Also, per department policy, ACCPD notified the Clarke County Office of the District Attorney regarding the incident.
As in any officer-involved shooting, the GBI will present its findings to the local DA’s office, and ACCPD’s Office of Professional Responsibility will examine the incident to see if any departmental policies were violated.