Grand Jury Clears Smyrna Officer in Fatal Shooting

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A Cobb County grand jury has determined that the fatal shooting of a man by a Smyrna police officer in late March was justified and recommended that no further action be taken in the case, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.

On March 24, Smyrna police Sgt. Kenneth Owens and officers Chris Graeff and Mark Cole were joined by four Cobb County police officers in an attempt to serve an arrest warrant on 23-year-old Nicholas Thomas, who was working at the Goodyear inside the Vinings Crossing shopping center.

Police say that when Thomas saw the officers approaching, he drove a customer’s white Maserati around the building several times in a reckless manner, and then drove straight at the officers. At this point, police say that Owens feared for his safety and fired at the Maserati, killing Thomas.

More on the Killing of Nicholas Thomas From Smyrna-Vinings Patch:

• Man Killed by Smyrna Police Was Shot in Back: Autopsy
• Smyrna Police Officer Who Shot Man Returns to Work
• Funeral of Man Killed by Smyrna Police Announced
• Smyrna Officer Involved in Fatal Shooting Faced Assault, Battery Charges in ‘99: Report
• Vigil For Man Killed by Smyrna Police Draws Hundreds of Supporters
• Prayer Vigil Planned For Man Killed by Smyrna Police
• Smyrna Police Identify Officers Involved in Fatal Shooting Incident
• Protesters Disrupt Smyrna-Area Restaurants After Police Shooting
• Smyrna Police Chief: Cobb PD, DA’s Office Will Investigate Officer-Involved Killing
• Family of Man Slain By Smyrna Police Want Independent Investigation
• UPDATE: Police Say Vinings Shooting Victim Drove Vehicle At Officers, One Officer Opened Fire

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Cobb County Police Department investigated the shooting and determined that Owens was justified in pulling the trigger, the DA’s Office said.

“The loss of life is unfortunate, and I sincerely sympathize with Mr. Thomas’s survivors. But when he drove the vehicle toward officers in the manner he did, the officer who fired the shots was justified under the law to use lethal force,” Cobb County DA Vic Reynolds said. “Police officers in Georgia are authorized to fire their weapons to protect themselves or others from immediate bodily harm. That is what happened in this case.”