An Elbert County Sheriff's Office deputy suffered a gunshot wound to the hand during an investigation of a suicide call at a cemetery.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the Wednesday-morning incident.
GBI spokeswoman Natalie Ammons said the incident unfolded just before 4 a.m. on Sept. 30 when a man called Elbert County 911, threatening to harm himself. The man hung up before dispatchers could get much information, but they were able to trace the call to a cemetery off Rehobath Road in Bowman.
"ECSO deputies arrived on scene at approximately 4:14 a.m.." Ammon said in a press statement. "They made contact with the man they believed to be the caller located in the cemetery, inside of a pick-up truck. The man, identified as Mac J. Cunningham, 33, of Hartwell, GA, had a handgun and indicated to the deputies he intended to harm himself."
After negotiating with Cunningham for more than an hour, the deputies tried to enter his vehicle by breaking the side window of the truck. At that point, shots were fired, according to Ammons.
"It is unknown at this time if Cunningham fired his weapon, however, one deputy fired multiple shots," Ammons said. "Another ECSO deputy on scene was injured in the hand during the gunfire. Cunningham was not injured and taken into custody by ECSO. The deputy was transported to a local hospital by ambulance and was treated and released, pending further treatment."
Once the GBI investigation is complete, finding will be turned over tot he Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office.
The shooting is the 76th officer-involved shooting the GBI has investigated this year.
