GBI investigating Irwin Co. officer involved shooting

OCILLA, Ga. (WALB) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) is currently investigating an officer involved shooting incident that happened Friday afternoon, according to the agency.

On Sept. 23, South Central Drug Task Force agents located a wanted subject driving in the Irwinville area identified as Henry Wilson Mercer, 63, of Ocilla.

Agents requested the assistance of an Irwin County marked patrol unit to make a traffic stop on Mercer but a pursuit began before deputies arrived.

A high speed chase led throughout the Irwinville area of the county put people in danger. Numerous deputies set up a road block at the intersection of Ponderosa and Pinetta Road in an attempt to stop Mercer and prevent anymore danger in the area.

Agents said Mercer disregarded the first vehicle blocking the roadway on Ponderosa and got past the roadblock on the side where one deputy was standing in the wood line to keep from being struck by Mercer’s vehicle.

Mercer then floored his vehicle and headed towards the second roadblock with multiple deputies approximately 30 yards from the initial road block.

Mercer steered his vehicle from one side of the roadway toward the opposite side where he was headed towards other deputies. Agents said at that time Mercer was struck by a round from an Irwin County Deputy which resulted in him being pronounced dead.

According to police, Mercer has numerous previous aggravated assaults on police officers in numerous jurisdictions with a violent crimes against a person record.

No deputies were harmed during this incident.