Gainesville: Manhunt ends, wanted couple captured

A man and woman, on the run since an officer-involved shooting Friday night in Gainesville, were arrested without incident early Sunday morning.

 

Gainesville police spokesman Kevin Holbrook says Marcos Garcia Tovar and Alondra Rodriguez, both 20, were taken into custody at a residence in Gainesville.

 

"Information was developed in the case that led us to the residence," according to a posting on the Gainesville Police Department's Facebook page. "Police surrounded the residence at which point both subjects exited peacefully..."

 

Sgt. Holbrook had said earlier this all started when police got a call Friday night about a suspicious person at the Burger King on Athens Street.  That call was later changed to a domestic dispute call.  The first officer on the scene got into an altercation with Tovar, the male subject, according to Holbrook.

At that point, he said Rodriguez approached the officer. "The female, who the officer was originally there to assist, to protect...actually came up behind the officer and pistol whipped him in the back of the head."

A back-up officer arrived and Tovar and Rodriguez attempted to flee.  As the officer exited his vehicle, Holbrook said he was engaged in gunfire with Tovar and/or Rodriguez.

"Our officer did return gunfire to the subjects. The individuals left the scene on foot..." Holbrook added.

Several law enforcement agencies joined in the search for the suspects and during the late evening and overnight, police took to social media urging people be alert, lock doors and report any suspicious activity.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents arrived early Saturday morning to lead the investigation, which is normal procedure when there is an officer-involved shooting.

The two officers involved in the confrontation with the pair were taken Northeast Georgia Medical Center, treated for minor injuries and sent home.

(AccessWDUN's Derrek Booth and Ken Stanford contributed to this story)