Carjacking Suspect Kills Georgia Officer, Wounds Second

Senior Police Officer Elmer "Buddy" Christian, a married father of two, was fatally shot and SPO Tony Howard was wounded in an exchange of gunfire during a vehicle stop. Police took the driver of the vehicle into custody and are actively searching for 33-year-old Jamie Hood, who has been identified as the shooter.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

March 22, 2011

Carjacking Suspect Kills Georgia Officer, Wounds Second — Senior Patrol Officer Elmer "Buddy" Christian. Photo: Athens-Clarke County (Ga.) PD.

1 min to read

Two Athens (Ga.) Police officers were hit by gunfire while investigating a kidnapping and carjacking on Tuesday, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department announced.

Senior Police Officer Elmer "Buddy" Christian, a married father of two, was fatally shot and Senior Police Officer Tony Howard was wounded in an exchange of gunfire at 12:53 p.m. during a vehicle stop. Police took the driver of the vehicle into custody and are actively searching for 33-year-old passenger Jamie Hood, who has been identified as the shooter.

Authorities swarmed a neighborhood off Atlanta Highway following the shooting, sealing off the area of Sycamore Drive near the Middle Oconee River.

Police are also searching for a Chevrolet Prizm that Hood may have carjacked. At the time of the shooting, the suspects were driving a red Chevrolet Suburban.

Read the full story at OnlineAthens.com.

Topics:Georgia agencies Manhunts Carjacking Duty Deaths Patrol

More Patrol

Patrol•April 2, 2026

ZeroEyes Expands from AI Gun Detection to Knife Detection & Suspect Tracking

ZeroEyes has launched three new product categories to extend beyond firearms to address additional acute safety threats and basic security needs. Knife detection and suspect tracking are now also available.

Patrol•April 2, 2026

GALLS Acquires CMS Uniforms

GALLS has acquired CMS Uniforms and Equipment, Inc., a prominent regional provider based in Nashville, Tennessee. CMS Uniforms, founded in 2000, has built a reputation for delivering stellar customer service and managing complex uniform programs for more than 670 accounts.

Police drone hovering over its charging nest against a blue sky background.

Patrol•March 26, 2026

Brinc Unveils Guardian, Launching the Next Era of Drone as First Responder

Brinc’s new Guardian delivers 24/7 operations, Starlink connectivity, and a robotic charging nest that can swap batteries and change payload configurations without human intervention.

image of trooper, shown from waist down, standing beside a police cruiser along the road and at right a headline Slow Down Move Over.

Patrol•March 19, 2026

Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis

The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.

Patrol•March 19, 2026

Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year

Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.

Patrol•March 19, 2026

Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year

Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.

DArk backgroundn with inset images of a fallen police officer and a ballistic helmet and headline Rife-Rated.

Patrol•March 19, 2026

The Mission After the Moment

The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.

Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture

Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.

Woman kneeling with a Bloodhound in front of a white pickup truck.

Patrol•March 1, 2026

K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons

Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.

Patrol•by Wayne Parham•February 25, 2026

Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup

In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.

View All →