A Fairburn police officer shot a man and two family dogs during a welfare check early Thursday, as reported by the man's wife, Kelsy Lackey. The incident occurred shortly after midnight on Bishop Road, after Kelsy called 911 expressing concern over a mental health episode involving her husband Dustin’s sister.
Read More
Police arrived to find a woman sitting in the road and drove her back home. Following this, two dogs reportedly charged at the officers, leading one officer to open fire, injuring both dogs and Dustin Lackey. "The next thing I know, my husband starts screaming, my kids start screaming," Kelsy said.
She recounted that the officer repeatedly shouted for them to secure the dogs while holding his weapon. Dustin stated that he was shot in the foot while attempting to leash the dogs to bring them inside safely. He explained, "I was trying to get my hands on him to wrap him up and bring him back in the house so he didn’t get shot again. In that process, I got shot."
The Fairburn police have requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to lead the ongoing investigation, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings. Agents spent several hours at the scene collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Both dogs survived the incident; one was shot in the chest, and the other in the nose, and they are receiving treatment at a veterinarian’s office. Kelsy expressed gratitude that no lives were lost but acknowledged her concerns for their children, ages 2, 6, 7, and 9, who witnessed the events. She described the trauma of her daughter crying out for her father and the dogs.
Dustin Lackey stated he hopes for accountability for the officer involved. His sister, who was the initial concern of the call, is reported to be unharmed. Fairburn police have directed further inquiries to the GBI. This story is still developing as more information becomes available.