Four Ga. Police Officers Attacked in Separate Incidents

Four Georgia police officers were injured in a pair of separate attacks over the weekend.

The first incident involving Gainesville police officers happened during a call Saturday, the department stated in a post on social media. Police responded to a call from the Georgia Division of Famliy & Children Services concerning a juvenile who was assaulting a social worker.

When officers reached the scene, they tried to de-escalate the situation, but they were attacked by the juvenile. Two officers were injured in the assault and taken to the hospital. The juvenile was taken for a mental evaluation.

In the second incident, police responded to a report of a suspicious person at a motel. While investigating the call, a 27-year-old man attacked officers.

The suspect is accused of headbutting an officer in the nose and then assaulting another officer. The officers were treated for their injuries, and the suspect was arrested and charged with two counts of felony obstruction and two counts of misdemeanor obstruction.

The department pointed out that the attacks happened just hours after FBI Director Christopher Wray appeared in a TV interview saying that "violence against law enforcement in this country is one of the biggest phenomena that doesn't get enough attention." The department also cited National Fraternal Order of Police data that shootings of police officers were up 43% this year.

"The spike in violence against law enforcement, both nationwide and locally, should be alarming to all," Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish stated in a news release. "Our men and women put on their uniform each day with the idea of serving to make our community a safer and better place. I pray for our officers daily. This is just an example where a regular workday can turn tragic for those wearing the badge."