Tim Smith is the second Georgia officer to be killed this year in the line of duty, which adds to the tense national climate between law enforcement and the communities they police.
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Deeds was awaiting transport back to Georgia on Monday from the jail in Nassau County, located on the Georgia-Florida line about 160 miles from the scene of the shooting.
Roysheen Delshawn Deeds, 24, was identified as the suspect accused of killing Eastman police officer Tim Smith on Saturday.
Smith, 31, was shot after answering a call about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a GBI release.
The sheriff’s office statement did not provide any additional details on the arrest. Prior to that, the Facebook page for the department offered a $15,000 reward for his arrest and citizens were told not approach him because he is considered armed and risky. Whitley said Smith, who was not wearing a body camera, called in the shooting.
The officer leaves behind two sons, a daughter, a stepson and his fiancée, Chelsea Clark. He is survived by his three children, Dutton said. About 4:30 a.m. Sunday, a Marietta police officer was shot in the leg by a 15-year-old who used a stolen gun, Marietta police spokeswoman Kelah Wallace said.
Smith, who joined the Eastman Police Department in February 2011, died from his wounds at a nearby hospital. Lewis Smith is also an officer at the Glenwood Police Department in Wheeler County. One of the suspects from the vehicle started shooting at the officers, striking one of them. One officer was stabbed in the face as his partner shot the suspect in the abdomen.
Three officers returned fire, hitting one of the suspects.
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All three were arrested without incident, Leeper said.
