A Holly Springs police officer has died after being dragged by a car driven by a male he fatally shot.
Officer Joe Burson, 25, joined the Holly Springs Police department a little over a year ago before being killed in the incident.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation released a statement claiming the fallen officer and his colleagues stopped the vehicle for speeding at the intersection of Harmony Lake Drive and Hickory Road around 11 p.m. on June 16.
“At some point during the traffic stop, the driver of the vehicle, a man later identified as Ansy Dolce, 29, of Cherokee County, attempted to escape in his car,” the statement reads.
“Dolce dragged Holly Springs Police Officer Joe Burson, age 25, down Hickory Road until the vehicle crashed,” the statement continues. “During the incident, Burson fired shots at Dolce.”
Burson and Dolce both received aid from other officers at the scene. Dolce was transported to North Fulton Hospital and pronounced dead.
Officer Burson was taken to Kennestone Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police Chief Tom Keheley told WGCL-TV that Officer Burson had a special connection with children. “He was a model officer,” Keheley said. “If you had the ability to clone your officers, you want your officer to be Joe Burson.”
