An Atlanta Police Department officer, who was off-duty at the time, was fatally shot by a neighbor following an alleged home invasion near St. Andrews Golf Club in Douglas County, Georgia, early Friday morning, according to authorities. The officer, Aubree Horton, had been serving with the Atlanta Police Department since 2015 and was most recently assigned to the Fugitive Unit.
Horton had recently been recognized with an Investigator of the Year award in the previous month. The Atlanta Police Department is currently collaborating with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to gather more information about the incident.
Surveillance footage suggested that Horton might have been undergoing a mental health crisis or under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident. “Upon gaining entry, the homeowner defended himself with a firearm and shot the intruder,” Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jon Mauney informed the press.
Horton resided just a few blocks away from the house he allegedly invaded. The news of the incident left the local community in shock. The house in question is situated near a golf course in the southern part of Atlanta.
Local residents expressed their disbelief at the incident, with one neighbor stating, “It’s right here in your neighborhood and a golfing community and a place where you really think this would never happen.” The motive behind Horton’s alleged break-in remains unknown to investigators.