A hands-free law violation was the initial reason for a traffic stop that ended with an East Ridge police officer injured in a Sunday afternoon shooting, officials say.
Dash camera footage released by East Ridge Police on Tuesday shows the now-deceased suspect, 43-year-old Christopher J. Kitts, pulled over on the side of Ringgold Road, opened his door, turned around and immediately fired at least seven rounds toward Cpl. Terry Prescott. The exchange took less than 10 seconds.
A photo of Prescott's vehicle shows two bullets entered the windshield on the driver's side.
Kitts abandoned the red Dodge Challenger he was driving in the Lynnwood subdivision off Paige Road in Rossville, Georgia, at about 3 p.m.
A K-9 unit tracked him into a wooded area near Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park, where he began shooting multiple times at officers with a high-powered rifle.
Troopers with a Georgia State Patrol SWAT unit eventually cornered and engaged Kitts behind a home on Glade Road in Rossville. They shot and killed him after Kitts began firing at officers one more time.
The distracted driving law at issue for the initial stop makes it illegal for motorists to drive while holding or supporting a cellphone or mobile device with their bodies, with hands-free devices allowed.
Provided by East Ridge Police Department/ This photo provided by the East Ridge Police Department shows East Ridge Police Corporal Terry Prescott's police vehicle with bullet holes after he was shot during a routine traffic stop Sunday. Prescott has since been released from the hospital.