GAINESVILLE, Ga. — A Gainesville man is dead and a police officer has been released from the hospital following an hourslong standoff and shooting early Friday morning in a north Gainesville neighborhood, authorities said.
The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Dakota Levi Simmons of Gainesville, was killed after an overnight standoff with law enforcement in the Sunset Heights neighborhood off U.S. 129, Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish said during a Friday morning press conference.
The incident began late Thursday night when police received a domestic violence call from a woman who said she feared for her life and reported that the suspect was armed.
Officers located the caller, who directed them to a second residence on Briarwood Drive, just south of Skyline Drive, where she believed Simmons had gone. Inside the home were a woman and two children, Parrish said.
When officers entered the residence, they encountered Simmons, who opened fire.
One officer was struck and transported to a nearby hospital. Parrish said the bullet hit near the officer’s neck but was deflected by his equipment.
“Our officer was wearing his two-way radio, and the bullet hit just below his throat into the radio mic and was caught by his ballistic vest,” Parrish said.
The officer has since been released from the hospital. His name has not been released.
Following the initial shooting, officers safely removed the family from the home as Simmons attempted to flee out the back. Additional officers encountered him, leading to another exchange of gunfire. No one was injured in that encounter.
Authorities then called in a SWAT team under the command of Hall County Sheriff Chris Matthews, along with a negotiator. Parrish said officers maintained intermittent contact with Simmons for approximately three hours.
Negotiations were unsuccessful, and Simmons continued firing from inside the home, Parrish said. He later exited through the front door, where he was shot by SWAT team members and Gainesville officers.
Simmons died from his injuries at the scene.
Parrish said the neighborhood was not evacuated because the home was secluded and situated in a way that reduced risk to nearby residents. He also thanked Sunset Heights residents for their cooperation.
“It is not our job as law enforcement to take lives. Our job is to protect lives, but this morning, our hand was forced,” Parrish said.
The chief became emotional while discussing the wounded officer, expressing gratitude for his survival.
“It could have been my guy, and it wasn’t,” Parrish said. “I’m very thankful to God that he was saved.”
No other injuries were reported.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is expected to conduct an independent review of the officer-involved shooting.
Now Georgia will bring you updates as they are made available.
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