Columbus, GA — As frequent readers of the Free Thought Project understand, many police officers in the land of the free are often prone to immediately resort to deadly force even in situations in which none is needed. Often times in these situations, as the following case illustrates, this immediate violent escalation places the lives of everyone near that officer or officers in danger.

An investigation — and apparent blackout in the media — is underway this week after an officer with the Columbus Police Department opened fire on a suspect suspected of stealing a vehicle and shot multiple bystanders in the process.

Police have refused to release many details in the matter and are also refusing to answer emails and calls from reporters to get answers to questions. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation have only released the following details.

According to the GBI, Columbus police reportedly received a call around 5:15 p.m. on Monday from a man who claimed to see his sister’s car that was stolen a few days prior. That caller followed the car to the Riverwind Apartments. This press release read as follows:

On February 7, the officer was investigating a vehicle in the area of Riverland Drive that was suspected of being stolen.

The driver of the vehicle drove toward the officer in an attempt to flee the scene. The officer then pulled out his weapon in the direction of the suspect and fired.

The suspect was able to flee the scene and elude the police. Police later found individuals who were struck by gunfire. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to investigate the incident.

Police did not name the suspect or say whether or not the officers involved were wearing body cameras or had dashcams rolling. Police also failed to immediately mention how serious the injuries were to the bystanders.

Two days after the incident, police finally elaborated on the shooting and noted that the abandoned vehicle was later found by police and hours later three people checked themselves into the hospital, two of them with gunshot wounds. It is unclear who is being charged and with what crime.

The officer was placed on leave and according to the statement, the Columbus Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards will conduct an administrative investigation into the shooting as well.

On a regular basis, the Free Thought Project reports on instances in which police officers deliberately jump in front of moving vehicles, or claim to be in danger of being hit by a vehicle, in order to justify the execution of the driver. Over the years, we have reported on countless cases of unarmed motorists being executed by police for doing nothing other than fleeing. Cops are rarely charged in these instances because they claim the vehicle “made them fear for their life.”

This happens often. In fact, it happens so often that just a few weeks prior to the officer in the case above shooting two bystanders, another officer in the same department opened fire on a different fleeing vehicle.

“Verbal commands were given to the driver of the vehicle at which time the vehicle accelerated towards the officers placing their lives in jeopardy,” police reported in January. Sound familiar?

During this shooting, the officer missed the intended target and struck a nearby parked car. Luckily no one was inside.

Article posted with permission from Matt Agorist