Fight between neighbors ends with 76-year-old shot dead by deputy, Georgia police say
What started as a disagreement between neighbors led to deputies shooting and killing a 76-year-old outside his Atlanta-area home, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
It happened around 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, in Temple, investigators wrote in a news release. Authorities identified the man who died as Robert Bruce Clendenin.
Carroll County deputies responded after a call about a man who allegedly pointed a gun at a neighbor and fired. They arrived to find Clendenin armed with a gun.
Deputies tried to get Clendenin to put down his weapon, but he wouldn’t, the GBI said. At some point, he aimed the gun at authorities. At least one deputy opened fire, hitting Clendenin.
The 76-year-old was taken to a hospital where he died, the GBI said. The agency’s medical examiner’s office will conduct an autopsy.
Authorities didn’t release additional details, including what may have sparked the dispute.
Chris Akin, Clendenin’s next-door neighbor, said the man “had been distraught for some time” because he couldn’t walk anymore, WXIA reported. He saw the shooting unfold.
“He’d have good days and bad days,” Akin told the news station. “I hate it. They were great neighbors.”
Investigators said the case will be handed to the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office once the GBI’s investigation is complete.
Temple is about 40 miles west of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published March 16, 2023 at 7:25 AM with the headline "Fight between neighbors ends with 76-year-old shot dead by deputy, Georgia police say."