A Valdosta police officer shot and killed 25-year-old Tychicus Armondo Deshazer as he approached S.L. Mason Elementary School with a gun after reportedly firing at cars in the pickup line on Thursday.
What’s Happening: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting an independent investigation of the September 25 officer-involved shooting at the request of the Valdosta Police Department.
Catch Up Quick: According to preliminary information, an officer heard gunshots around 2:30 p.m. and found Deshazer entering the elementary school campus armed with a gun. The school was immediately placed on lockdown.
Between the Lines: Before approaching the school, Deshazer reportedly shot at multiple vehicles in the school pickup line, striking one car. No injuries were reported from these shots.
The Sources: Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Valdosta Police Department
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
