Man Killed in Officer-Involved Shooting Identified

WOODSTOCK, GA -- The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has released the identity of the man who died late New Year's Eve during an officer-involved shooting on Interstate 75.

Canton resident Chad Erik Roberts, 35, was fatally wounded following a police chase that originated out of Canton and ended in north Cobb County.

Bahan Rich, a spokesperson with the GBI, said Roberts' autopsy has been complete, but the final results will not be available until toxicology and ballistics testing are wrapped up.

A preliminary investigation from the state reveals that around 10:09 p.m. Dec. 31, an officer with the Canton Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle parked "suspiciously" outside of a closed business.

"The driver of the vehicle initially spoke to the officer but then fled in his vehicle, striking the officer," the GBI previously said.

Canton officers pursued the vehicle into Woodstock, and its police department as well as the Cherokee Sheriff's Office assisted in the chase.

During the pursuit, the tires on the driver's vehicle were disabled using a deflation device, and the vehicle came to a stop on Interstate 75 northbound near the Wade Green Road interchange.

According to the GBI, Roberts got out of the vehicle and "presented a gun" during contact with law enforcement.

At that moment, two Woodstock officers fired their weapons and Roberts was hit with gunshot wounds, the GBI states. He died as a result of his injuries.

The Canton police officer who was hit by the vehicle was treated at a local hospital. No other officers were injured in the incident.

Woodstock police spokesperson Brittany Duncan said the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, as outlined in the department's policy.

Once the GBI completes its investigation, it will turn over its case file to the Cobb County District Attorney's Office for review.

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