GBI investigates 2nd officer involved shooting in as many days

Gunshot victim located in suspect’s vehicle dies

DeKalb County, Ga. – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating its second officer-involved shooting in as many days, the last one being the 19th this year.

According to a press release from the GBI, at 4:15 a.m. this morning, March 31, 2021, when officers from DeKalb County Police Department responded to a person shot call, they found a damaged car in the roadway with no headlights on. When they approached, the vehicle sped away. A short chase followed after which the suspect, Willie Roy Allen, 57, of Lithonia, got out of the car and ran. Officers chased and allegedly attempted to tase him without success. The chase ended at 2626 Lithonia Industrial Blvd at which time Allen allegedly pulled out a gun. This resulted in multiple officers shooting and tasing him. He died at the scene.

In the meantime, the vehicle that Allen had fled from continued rolling where he had abandoned it, eventually hitting a parked car. GBI reports that prior to the fatal encounter with Allen, officers had discovered a victim in the suspect’s car with a gunshot wound. That person was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital but later died.

The DeKalb County Police Department is conducting a death investigation on the victim in the car who has not yet been identified.

Yesterday, March 30, a woman identified as Shelby Jean Berkheimer, 41, of Lithia Springs, was shot and killed by a Douglas County deputy after deputies responded to a robbery in progress call at about 7:45 p.m. at Mountain Motorsports, 631 Thornton Road in Lithia Springs. GBI reports that deputies arrived to find Berkheimer allegedly armed. A deputy reportedly gave numerous verbal commands to her to drop the weapon prior to a struggle ensuing. Berkheimer allegedly shot the deputy in the leg, resulting in a non-life-threatening injury. The deputy also fired his weapon during the struggle, fatally wounding Berkheimer. She died at the scene.  

The GBI will conduct independent investigations of both these shootings before turning the information over to the relevant district attorney’s offices for review.