Who Is Tafahree Maynard? Massive Manhunt For Officer Antwan Toney's Shooting Suspect
A massive manhunt was underway in Georgia early Monday for the second of two teenage suspects in connection with the fatal weekend shooting of a police officer near a school northeast of Atlanta. Authorities said 18-year-old Tafahree Maynard fatally shot Officer Antwan Toney as he was checking a report of a suspicious car parked near a school in the Snellville area.
The shooting happened near Shiloh Middle School, about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. Gwinnett County Police said in a statement that Maynard shot Toney and the bullet missed his vest and hit him directly. Police said the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. He faces charges of aggravated assault and felony murder.
"Tafahree Maynard needs to turn himself in," Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers said at a weekend news conference. Authorities appealed to the public for tips leading to Maynard's whereabouts. The suspect is 6 feet 1 inch and weighs 290 pounds. Authorities asked anyone with tips to call 770-513-5710.
A second suspect, 19-year-old Isaiah Pretlow, was charged with aggravated assault for allegedly pointing a firearm at an officer during the pursuit after Toney's fatal shooting, police said earlier.
According to police, Pretlow drove the vehicle away after the shooting, crashed a short distance away and fled. He was later spotted by an officer following which the suspect pointed a gun at the officer, who fired shots, according to a statement. He later fled into some woods but was subsequently taken into custody by U.S. Marshals.
The officer died at a hospital over the weekend from gunshot wounds, police said. The 30-year-old from Southern California had been with the Gwinnett County Police Department for nearly three years. This was his first police job.
"The people that worked with Officer Toney on a daily basis recalled a very jovial person who was dedicated to his job and dedicated to his community," Ayers said.
This is a developing story.
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