Shootout Erupts Between Ga. Sheriff's Deputies, Suspect Outside Jail

A suspect who took a gun to the Gwinnett County Jail on Monday was injured when they fired multiple shots at deputies outside the facility and the deputies returned fire, officials said.

At an impromptu news conference outside the jail, Gwinnett Sheriff Keybo Taylor said none of his deputies were injured in the incident. The suspect, who was taken to the hospital, has a history of confrontations with law enforcement, Taylor said.

A GBI spokeswoman said the sheriff’s office asked the state agency to investigate the shooting, but she could not provide further details.

The jail, located at 2900 University Parkway in Lawrenceville, was temporarily locked down as the investigation proceeded, according to the sheriff’s office. The jail’s intake process was paused until just before 9 p.m. and all traffic was diverted away from the facility, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

“We want to assure the community that the situation is under control, and there is no ongoing threat to the public’s safety,” the sheriff’s office said.

According to Taylor, the suspected shooter showed up at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center early Monday afternoon. The person displayed erratic and unusual behavior when they encountered deputies at the facility and as they left for the parking lot.

The suspect then drove to the jail, got out of their car with a gun and started shooting at deputies outside the building, Taylor said. The deputies shot back and hit the suspect.

Taylor did not know how seriously the suspect was injured.

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