Pastor Killed

[uabenson1]

This is a sad situation, I just hope he was trying to help this young lady and not involved in any illegal activity. My heart goes out to his wife and family.

 

Northeast Georgia pastor killed in drug sting

Family says he was innocent bystander By Christian Boone and Katie Leslie

 

 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

Family and friends of a Lavonia minister gunned down Tuesday by an undercover police officer continue to look for answers about how he died.

 

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said Jonathan Ayers, 29, was not the target of their sting operation and that authorities were looking for a woman they say Ayers dropped off minutes before the shooting. That woman, whose name has not been released, had been charged with cocaine possession and distribution, he said.

 

Ayers’ family maintains he was not involved in illegal drug activity.

 

“He is one of the Godliest men I’ve ever known,” his brother-in-law Matt Carpenter told AccessNorthGa.com. “We’re all shocked and absolutely do not believe he was involved in anything illicit or illegal there.”

 

Carpenter also told AccessNorthGa.com that the family was first informed Ayers died in a traffic accident, and then that he had been shot. Hours later, they learned he died in an officer-involved shooting.

 

Shirley said Wednesday that Ayers dropped off the sting suspect in downtown Toccoa around 2:30 p.m. and that two agents from the joint task force -- composed of officers from Stephens, Habersham and Rabun counties -- followed the pastor and attempted to question him.

 

WNEG-TV has surveillance video showing Ayers casually entering a Shell convenience store in Toccoa around 2:30 p.m.

 

According to that video, a black SUV carrying undercover officers pulls into the parking lot after Ayers left the store.

 

The pastor tried to avoid them, Shirley said Wednesday, striking one of the agents after putting his car in reverse.

 

“They yelled, ‘Police. Stop,’” Shirley said.

 

Witnesses to the incident also said the officers identified themselves, said Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead.

 

Shirley said Wednesday that Ayers maneuvered his car towards another agent in a “threatening manner.” However, that is unclear from the video.

 

Shirley first said that one shot was fired by one of the three agents on the scene, striking the pastor in the upper torso. WNEG-TV reports that Shirley said the agent fired two shots into the car.

 

Ayers drove off before losing control of the vehicle a block away, striking a telephone pole, Shirley said.

 

Ayers was pastor of Shoal Creek Baptist Church in Lavonia. On his blog, he wrote, “I have three loves in my life: Jesus Christ, my wife Abby, and the Church.”

 

The couple was expecting their first child.

 

Shirley would not reveal the identity of the woman arrested in the sting. The agent struck by the pastor’s vehicle was treated and released from a local hospital, Shirley said.

 

“Jonathan would have wanted to witness to the police officers involved in the shooting,” his family said in a statement.

 

The GBI is investigating the shooting. The task force agents involved have been placed on administrative leave with pay, Shirley said.

Edited September 3, 2009 by 2witty4u

[michelay1000]

Whoa.

[FreeBird]

check the video: http://www.wneg32.tv/index.php?option=com_...s&Itemid=18

 

couldn't much make out the "threatening manor" in his driving - looks like he was trying to get away from someone in street clothes pointing a gun a him.

[haley1981]

I agree. Looks like some guys jump out of a vehicle...dressed in plain clothes pointing guns at him. I would've done the same thing. I would think I was about to be robbed or something and I would floor it trying to get out of there. Crazy....

 

It's really sad. Who knows what the man was doing prior to this but he didn't deserve to die IMO.

[FreeBird]

you can't tell if the officers have a tactical vest with POLICE on it or not.

[haley1981]

Didn't the report say they were undercover and dressed in plain clothing? Even if they did have a vest on...they pull up and jump out as fast as they did with guns pointed.. I don't think I could function well enough to take the time to notice WHAT they were wearing....I would just want to get the heck out of there.

[spacey74]

wow...thats crazy

[uabenson1]

I agree. Looks like some guys jump out of a vehicle...dressed in plain clothes pointing guns at him. I would've done the same thing. I would think I was about to be robbed or something and I would floor it trying to get out of there. Crazy....

 

It's really sad. Who knows what the man was doing prior to this but he didn't deserve to die IMO.

 

I agree, with everything going on, people being robbed left and right, I think he thought he was being robbed. I just don't think they had to kill him, why couldnt they just blow out the tires, he was not trying to run them over, he was just trying to get out of there.

[Jetsmom]

I don't know. Even if they did flash their badges and identified themselves, in this day and age, I am not sure I would have believed them. It is scary. Just a real bad case of wrong place, wrong time.

 

I guess I am trying to figure out why they went after him at all if he was not the one they were following.

[jmd]

He just went to the atm and probably thought someone was going to rob him afterwards. If they were after him that closely, how did they let him get inside his car? Why not get him as he walked out the store?

 

Is it common practice to shoot at someone you want to question? Is that type of force okay in any circumstance? Did they not have a license plate to be able to confront him at his home in full uniform?

[tuscanytrailer]

Has anybody thought this pastor might be guilty?

Why was he in another county with some woman who was part of a drug deal?

And, why did he go to an atm in another county?

Could he have been trying to get away so he wouldn't be caught with another woman, and maybe getting money to buy something illegal?

I'm not saying that I think he is guilty, but that thought entered my mind when I saw the video.

 

I know that our pastor always says he wouldn't be put in the position of having another woman in the car with him and having to try to explain

that situation. He says if the lady is having car trouble or something that he will call for help, but he will not let another woman get in his vehicle

or him get into her vehicle, just saying...

[shannonsolomon]

Has anybody thought this pastor might be guilty?

Why was he in another county with some woman who was part of a drug deal?

And, why did he go to an atm in another county?

Could he have been trying to get away so he wouldn't be caught with another woman, and maybe getting money to buy something illegal?

I'm not saying that I think he is guilty, but that thought entered my mind when I saw the video.

 

I know that our pastor always says he wouldn't be put in the position of having another woman in the car with him and having to try to explain

that situation. He says if the lady is having car trouble or something that he will call for help, but he will not let another woman get in his vehicle

or him get into her vehicle, just saying...

 

A youth group leader was murdered in Cleveland, GA after he gave a ride to a man and a woman. He was trying to help. That's what pastors do. He didn't know they were criminals.

Why not go to an ATM in another county? I go to another county every weekday to go to work.

If he was already in the car and had the engine turned on. He probably couldn't hear anybody said "police freeze" or anything else. I know I can't with the radio on. He probably saw a black SUV pull up and thugs with guns jump out and try to rob him. I would have tried to get away, too.

[dawneykids]

I don't know. Even if they did flash their badges and identified themselves, in this day and age, I am not sure I would have believed them. It is scary. Just a real bad case of wrong place, wrong time.

 

I guess I am trying to figure out why they went after him at all if he was not the one they were following.

I agree and why weren't they chasing the girl he'd just dropped of? If they weren't after him, why did they react they way they did? It looked to me like he was trying to get away from a bunch of armed, car jacking criminals.

 

Has anybody thought this pastor might be guilty?

Why was he in another county with some woman who was part of a drug deal?

And, why did he go to an atm in another county?

Could he have been trying to get away so he wouldn't be caught with another woman, and maybe getting money to buy something illegal?

I'm not saying that I think he is guilty, but that thought entered my mind when I saw the video.

 

I know that our pastor always says he wouldn't be put in the position of having another woman in the car with him and having to try to explain

that situation. He says if the lady is having car trouble or something that he will call for help, but he will not let another woman get in his vehicle

or him get into her vehicle, just saying...

Whether he is guilty or not doesn't justify this shooting, 'He's guilty...lets kill him'. What kind of mentality is that? Police officers are supposed to be trained to deal with these kinds of things, not just shoot willy, nilly at someone they want to 'question'.

[FreeBird]

In our church, there would be no man/woman "missions of mercy” allowed. There are always two church officers involved when dealing with the opposite sex. So, yes, the pastor's actions do leave one the ability to use their imagination.

 

That gets us to what looks like a bunch of guys jumping out of a car with guns drawn right after the man had withdrawn cash. Anyone can jump out and stay "freeze, police." As a frequent watcher of "COPS" it seems they always have the tactical vests with "POLICE" "DEA" "SHERIFF" etc. when they “make the takedown.”

 

I think I would have fled as well. The vehicle was turning away from them when the "threatening manor" occurred.