Gwinnett County Police Officer Slain: Manhunt Ongoing For Suspect
SNELLVILLE, GA — A manhunt continues for a suspect wanted in the killing of a Gwinnett County police officer, authorities say.
The officer, Antwan Toney, 30, was responding with other officers to a suspicious car call Saturday afternoon at Crumps Landing and White Road near Shiloh Middle School in Snelville, police said. When officers parked their cars, got out and approached the suspicious vehicle, shots were fired from inside, police spokesman Jake Smith told reporters, according to a livestream of the briefing posted by WSB-TV.
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Toney was struck and other officers returned fire and pulled him to cover. Toney was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville where he died from his injuries. The young officer had been with the department for nearly three years and would have celebrated his three year anniversary in just a few days.
Prior to working for the Gwinnett County police, he worked as a security guard. Toney’s immediate family lives in California, police said.
Isaiah Pretlow, 19, of Snellville, was arrested by the U.S. Marshal’s Service after he pointed a gun at an officer and shots were fired, Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers told reporters late Saturday night. He has been charged with aggravated assault, according to police.
“Our belief right now is Pretlow was in the car when the shooting occurred,” Ayers said. He continued that Pretlow sped away in that car and fled on foot when the car crashed.
Officers searching for Pretlow encountered him and he allegedly pointed a gun at an officer, Ayers said. A Gwinnett County officer fired several rounds at Pretlow, Ayers said. The officer who Pretlow pointed a gun at was not injured but that is where the aggravated assault charge against Pretlow stems from, according to Ayers.
No officers were hurt and Pretlow’s condition wasn’t immediately known.
Tafahree Maynard, 18, also of Snellville, remains on the loose, Ayers said. Police have obtained warrants charging Maynard with aggravated assault and felony murder. Police say he is considered armed and dangerous and those who see him should call 911. Police also have a dedicated tip line (770-513-5710) where those with information about Maynard can contact authorities.
“Our information is that Tafahree fled the scene of the shooting on foot,” Ayers said.
Tafahree was described by police as a black man who is 6-feet-1 tall and weighs 299 pounds. Ayers declined to say how the suspects were identified.
Police had earlier said there were possibly four suspects but have since narrowed down to the two suspects identified by Ayers.
Ayers said the call regarding the suspicious car was an anonymous 911 call where the caller provided a description of the car and believed that those inside the car were probably smoking marijuana.
“What a chief wants to hear is that the officer is OK,” Ayers said at an earlier briefing on Saturday. “And when I asked that question, that wasn’t the answer I got.”
The suspicious car was found crashed at the intersection of Ross Road and Calumet Farm Lane.
Photos via Gwinnett Police Department