By Joe Johnson
Athens-Clarke County police on Thursday released footage from a body camera worn by an officer who last week fatally shot a woman who charged at him with a knife,
The shooting occurred the morning of Oct. 14 when Senior Police Officer Lamar Glenn responded to apartments in the 100 block of Chalfont Drive on a female’s report that a woman had a knife and gun, but did not specify a problem, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the incident.
Police said they believed the call had been made by 54-year-old Bonny Thomas, who was holding a knife as she flagged down Glenn as the officer approached the woman outside her apartment in his patrol car.
After the officer exited his car, you can hear Glenn in the video repeatedly asking Thomas to drop the knife. As he backed up to create space between himself and the armed woman, Thomas kept approaching and is heard in the video saying that she had a gun and a knife before charging at the officer, who shot Thomas once in the torso.
After Thomas collapsed to the ground and Glenn waited for backup officers and EMS to arrive, Glenn is heard telling Thomas to “stay calm,” and “ ’Mam, stay with us.”
Thomas was transported to the hospital, where police said she died
Glenn, 53, who has been with ACCPD for 29 years, was placed on paid administrative leave while the GBI continues its investigation which, when completed, will be turned over to the Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney Office.