The Elbert County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday requested the Georgia Bureau of investigation to investigate an officer involved shooting in the city of Bowman.
The GBI said that preliminary information indicates that at approximately 3:51 a.m., a man called Elbert County 911, threatening to harm himself, but he hung up before the dispatcher could get any information or offer any assistance.
The sheriff's office traced the call to a cemetery located off Rehobath Road in Bowman. When deputies arrived on scene at approximately 4:14 a.m. they made contact with the man they believed to be the caller located in the cemetery, inside of a pick-up truck. The man, identified as Mac J. Cunningham, 33, of Hartwell had a handgun and indicated to the deputies he intended to harm himself.
Deputies attempted to offer Cunningham help and try to get him to surrender the gun. At approximately 5:27 a.m., deputies attempted to break the side window of the vehicle, at which point shots were fired. It is unknown at this time if Cunningham fired his weapon, however, one deputy fired multiple shots. Another ECSO deputy on scene was injured in the hand during the gunfire. Cunningham was not injured and taken into custody by ECSO. The deputy was transported to a local hospital by ambulance and was treated and released, pending further treatment.
Once the GBI's investigation is completed, it will be turned over to the Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
This is the 76th officer involved shooting the GBI has been requested to investigate in 2020.