More than a month after an officer-involved shooting in Habersham County that left a U.S. Army veteran dead, few details surrounding the incident have emerged.
On Wednesday, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Kim Williams said Aaron Allen Patterson, 41, died on Sept. 20 – just 13 days after he was shot by officers at Cameron Apartments in Clarkesville.
According to his obituary, the 41-year-old Patterson was a U.S. Army veteran and Reservist who served in Iraq. He also worked as a U.S. postal carrier for ten years.
He was the father of three children.
Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell said Thursday the four deputies involved in the shooting have all returned to work. They were placed on paid administrative leave after the Sept. 7 incident.
Terrell said he determined the decision to fire on Patterson was justified. He allowed the deputies to return to work after they underwent psychological evaluations. Three deputies returned to duty about two weeks ago, according to Terrell, and a fourth deputy came back Thursday, Oct. 10.
“Our officers have all been cleared and are back at work,” Terrell said. “You place them on administrative leave because you have to have them cleared psychologically. We basically made the determination it was a good shoot, and they were good to go back to work.”
Like residents at Cameron Apartments who were familiar with Patterson, Terrell said he believes he was likely struggling with mental health issues at the time of the incident.
“The gentleman we were dealing with (Patterson) was fighting some demons,” Terrell said. “It’s not good all the way around when you have loved ones or family members that have issues. You always want to try to get them help, no matter what the situation is. We all have something going on in our lives, and we all have to deal with stuff, so it just makes it hard.”
Terrell said he plans to wait until the GBI’s investigation into the incident is complete before additional information is released.
Handgun or rifle?
Clarkesville police had been dispatched to the complex for a welfare check around 6:14 p.m. on September 7, with sheriff’s deputies responding as backup.
After the incident, details released by GBI Public Affairs Director Nelly Miles suggested that officers first spotted Patterson armed with a handgun before he took off on foot.
An officer later located Patterson and saw he was armed with a rifle, according to Miles.
A report of the incident obtained from the Clarkesville Police Department appeared to align with Miles’ statement that officers had seen Patterson with two weapons at separate times that night before he was shot.
When initial contact was made with Patterson, according to the report, he was “observed running back to the Cameron Circle apartments brandishing what appeared to be a pistol type firearm at his side.”
Then, after a perimeter to locate Patterson was established by Habersham County deputies and assisting agencies, the report states Patterson “was observed following behind several deputies – this time with what appeared to be a rifle pointed in their direction.”
“Lawful orders were given for Patterson to drop the rifle,” the incident report states. “Patterson then turned and pointed the rifle at the (officer). Deadly force was used. Aid was immediately rendered and medical personnel were requested.”
As previously reported by Now Habersham, Malachai Walsh witnessed officers wrangle with Patterson – who’d been shot multiple times – as they tried to administer aid.
Remaining questions
The GBI, so far, has refused to release additional details of the incident – including how many times Patterson was shot and which officers were involved.
The agency also has refused to comment on reliable information obtained by Now Habersham regarding evidence that was reportedly left at the scene. Sources say GBI crime scene investigators overlooked a loaded magazine on the ground at Cameron Apartments the night of the shooting and had to retrieve it the following day.
It is standard protocol for the GBI to conduct independent investigations into officer-involved shootings — the agency has been asked to investigate 72 statewide so far this year. Now Habersham has reached out to the GBI for additional information regarding protocol as it relates to local law enforcement during an open investigation.
“This case is active, and upon completion, it will be provided to the DA for review,” Williams said via email Wednesday. “The case is anticipated to be provided within 90-120 days of the incident to the DA.”
