Fort Oglethorpe police officers under investigation for use of force

A Walker State prisoner works to cut the grass at the Fort Oglethorpe Police Department on Tuesday.
A Walker State prisoner works to cut the grass at the Fort Oglethorpe Police Department on Tuesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the use of force by Fort Oglethorpe police officers who fired multiple shots at a man who allegedly tried to run over one of the officers while evading arrest.

According to a release from Joe Montgomery, a GBI assistant special agent in charge, the events happened Friday.

Montgomery said the Tennessee Highway patrol and Chattanooga Police Department were in a car chase with Dewayne Burns. Within a few minutes, Fort Oglethorpe officers spotted him driving west on Battlefield Parkway and attempted to detain him.

Burns was wanted on a felony arrest warrant out of Blount County, Tenn. The Catoosa County 911 Center had given a lookout over the radio for the suspect, advising he was wanted and considered armed and dangerous.

When officers started to pursue Burns, he drove down Lakeshore Drive where officers forced him to a stop. Burns allegedly attempted to run over one of the officers, and they fired multiple shots at his vehicle.

Burns drove off again, leading officers on a chase through Fort Oglethorpe and into the Chickamauga Battlefield, where he crashed and attempted to flee on foot. Burns did not appear to be injured by the gunfire nor was his car disabled it.

After a search warrant was obtained, the car was seized and searched by a GBI crime scene specialist who found a handgun and shotgun, both loaded, and extra ammunition inside.

Contact staff writer Emmett Gienapp at egienapp@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6731.

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