
The man who police believe shot a DeKalb County Police officer in the knee and fled was arrested by Atlanta Police on Thursday, Oct. 29, around 8 p.m., police said.
James Ferrell, 41, was arrested in east Atlanta about eight hours after police say he shot an officer Thursday during a routine traffic stop on I-285, said DeKalb Police spokesman Jason Gagnon.
According to jail records, Ferrell was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, armed robbery and obstruction.
“He has a history of running from the police as well as being combative toward officers,” said Gagnon.
The officer pulled over a car on I-285 northbound between the LaVista Road and Chamblee-Tucker Road exits. When the officer went to his patrol car to run a license check, Ferrell tried to run away, Gagnon said.
The officer caught Ferrell along the highway, and then in the struggle Ferrell tried to reach for the officer’s gun. When Ferrell couldn’t take it away, he reached for his own gun and fired a shot, grazing the officer in the knee, Gagnon said.
Ferrell then carjacked a white Ford F-150 on the interstate, according to police. The car was found abandoned at a QuikTrip at I-85 and Chamblee-Tucker.
Gagnon said police did not know if Ferrell carjacked another vehicle. He said it is more likely he ran off or someone picked him up.
The driver and the other passenger in the car were detained for questioning by DeKalb Police.
The incident forced several lanes of I-285 to shut down for a short period of time. Police K-9 units and helicopters searched the area but were unable to find the suspect Thursday afternoon.
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