GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Garden City

Garden City, GA (April 19, 2022) –  The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Garden City, GA. The Garden City Police Department asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on April 18, 2022. No one was seriously injured during the incident.

Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 8:00 a.m., 911 received a report that a man, later identified as Joseff Orion Smith, 25, of Savannah, locked himself in a tractor trailer in a parking lot at 6069 Commerce Boulevard, Garden City. The truck’s driver tried to stop Smith but was unsuccessful and told 911 that Smith had access to a handgun.

Officers from Garden City PD and Port Wentworth PD arrived and gave verbal commands for Smith to exit the truck. At some point, Smith fired a gun at police and a Port Wentworth PD officer returned fire. Savannah PD’s SWAT team was called to assist and attempted to negotiate with Smith to surrender. After a couple hours of negotiation, SWAT shot tear gas into the cab of the truck to get Smith out. Subsequently, Smith was taken into custody. A handgun was recovered at the scene.

Smith was taken to a local hospital for observation and then taken to the Chatham County Jail. Charges are pending by the Garden City Police Department.

The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Once complete, the case file will be given to the Eastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.