Officers Gun Down Georgia Pastor In Botched Drug Sting

A Georgia pastor was shot and killed by police officers during a drug sting. Authorities are reporting they opened fire when he struck an officer with his car after he was seen in a vehicle with a known drug suspect.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is investigating the incident surrounding the slain pastor. According to reports 29-year-old Jonathan Ayers, led the congregation at Shoal Creek Baptist Church in Lavonia, Georgia and was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon in the nearby town of Toccoa, Georgia.

Further details surrounding the shooting reveal an undercover drug task force team initiated an operation at a local business. In a CNN report GBI Spokesman John Bankhead says law enforcement officials had a woman, whom they had purchased drugs from previously, under surveillance.

Officers from the three county task force reportedly saw the woman in a car with Ayers and witnessed what they thought was a drug transaction. Officials continued to follow the vehicle as Ayers dropped the woman off at a gas station.

Then undercover plain clothes officers with badges around their necks approached Ayers’ vehicle in an attempt to question him. Bankhead continues by saying that Ayers placed the car in reverse hitting one of he officers who then feared his life was in danger and shot into the car, hitting Ayers.

Ayers drove a block away but struck a telephone pole and was taken from his vehicle and rushed to a local hospital. He underwent emergency surgery but died a short time later.

Ayers who is described as a “Godly” man by his parishioners and family has left an entire community distressed in the wake of his passing. The community denies he was involved in any drug activity and are seeking answers. He and his wife were looking forward to the birth of their first child.

Police later deemed no drug transaction took place and nothing illegal was found in his car, but “other circumstances were involved.”

Bankhead also says in the report that the woman who was in the car with Ayers was taken into custody and is facing drug charges. Both officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, and the officer struck was treated and released from a local hospital.

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