Police Identify Emerson Home Invasion Victim Found Shot On I-75 (UPDATE)

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Cherokee County, GA -- Detectives with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office are working to piece together the events leading up to the shooting death of a home invasion victim whose body was dumped on Interstate 75.

Deputies were dispatched around 5:49 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 17 to an unknown trouble call on the southbound side of the interstate north of the Cobb-Cherokee line.

Deputies found an adult male “lying on the inside warning lane of the interstate with an apparent gunshot wound to his torso,” said Lt. Jay Baker with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office.

Baker said the man, identified as Herbert Perkinson, 49, of Emerson, was a victim of a home invasion in Emerson. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called by the Emerson Police Department later that morning to help with the investigation into the home invasion, which occurred in the 100 block of 11th street, said spokesperson Scott Dutton.

Perkinson was transported to WellStar Kennestone Hospital where he died from his injuries. Along with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Emerson police are also investigating the case, Dutton added.

Dutton said an autopsy will be scheduled and performed by the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Decatur.

Emerson Police Chief Stan Bradley told residents on the agency’s Facebook page that it appears Sunday’s event is isolated.

“It is apparent that the victim knew his assailants and was targeted by them due to a disagreement,” he said. “At this point there is no reason for anyone to expect any other actions by these assailants within the city.”

Return to Patch for updates.

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Image via Cherokee Sheriff’s Office