UPDATE: Police Say Vinings Shooting Victim Drove Vehicle At Officers, One Officer Opened Fire

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UPDATE (6:00 p.m.): Smyrna police have released the following statement regarding the shooting death of Nicholas Thomas:

There is an ongoing investigation underway and as a result many details are under investigation. The preliminary results indicate that on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 1:34 p.m. Smyrna Police Officers, along with Cobb County Police Officers arrived at 2475 Cumberland Parkway, Atlanta, Ga. 30339 (Goodyear Tire) to serve an arrest warrant on Nicholas Taft Thomas, 25. Thomas had an outstanding arrest warrant for felony probation violation. Officers arrived at the Goodyear and learned that Thomas was pulling a white Maserati around to the rear of the business. Mr. Thomas drove around the building several times in a reckless manner and at a high rate of speed. Mr. Thomas drove the vehicle at Officers, placing them at risk to receive serious bodily injury or death, at which point one (1) Officer fired into the moving vehicle. The vehicle came to rest and Officers gave commands to Mr. Thomas, but received no response.

Due to heavy window tint on the vehicle, Officers could not see into the car. Thus, the Officers used less than lethal bean bag rounds in an attempt to break out the passenger side window and look into the car. This was done to increase visibility into the vehicle with the ultimate goal of ensuring Officer safety and rendering first aid to Mr. Thomas. Upon making contact, Mr. Thomas was unresponsive inside the vehicle and pronounced deceased by Fire Department personnel. The Officer involved in the shooting is on administrative leave pending further investigation as is standard operating procedure per Smyrna Police Department policy.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is not getting involved in the officer-involved shooting which left a 25-year-old man dead in Vinings on Tuesday.

Cobb County and Smyrna police were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Nicholas Thomas at the Goodyear Tire where he worked inside the Vinings Crossing shopping center at approximately 1:30 p.m. when he noticed the approaching officers and tried to get away.

Police said Thomas got into a white Maserati and began driving, which made the arresting officers fear for their lives. A Smyrna police officer opened fire on the vehicle, killing Thomas.

Other recent Smyrna-Vinings crime stories:

• Cobb County Man Gets Life in Prison For Brutal Sexual Assault
• UPDATE: Pedestrian Killed Near Smyrna Identified
• Collision Temporarily Closes Concord Road Covered Bridge

WSB-TV called the GBI to see if they were being called in to investigate, as they had been asked to do in DeKalb County earlier this month, but a GBI spokesperson said they were not investigating the incident.

Thomas’ arrest warrant was for a probation violation; according to a warrant acquired by WSB-TV, Thomas had pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a peace officer, attempting to elude police, driving with a suspended license, driving without insurance, and using a license plate to conceal the identity of a vehicle.