Atlanta cop was awarded ‘investigator of the year’. Days later he was shot dead allegedly breaking into a neighbor’s home

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

An Atlanta police officer was shot dead while allegedly trying to break into a neighbor’s home – just days after he was honored with an “Investigator of the Year” award.

Aubree Horton, 32, died in the early hours of Friday morning when he was shot by a homeowner in Winston, Georgia, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (GA) told Atlanta News First.

Police said the homeowner was in fear for his life as Horton – who police said appears to have been suffering a mental health episode or was under the influence of narcotics – tried to break in through the door.

The incident unfolded at around 5am just after the woman who lived there had left to go to work, leaving her husband inside the property, police said.

The woman was notified on her cellphone to her Ring doorbell picking up footage of Horton trying to enter their home and she called 911.

Police said her husband armed himself and approached the front door. After multiple attempts to speak to Horton, the off-duty officer “forcibly rushed inside, knocking the homeowner to the ground”. The homeowner fired a single shot at Horton, killing him.

In shocking doorcam footage released by police, Horton is seen running through the homeowner’s driveway wearing no shirt or shoes, screaming and waving his arms while shouting “Jesus save us” and “Help me.”

Horton is then seen at the neighbor’s front door, saying: “Yes, baby! Oh, I’m home, ah, Help me! Help me!”

He slams his shoulder into the door before saying: “No, kill me!” and then bashing into it again.

The video shows Horton then sitting on the porch steps with his head stooped between his knees. At that point, the homeowner is heard asking “Are you okay?”

Horton sighs holding his head in his hands and says “I love you” before shouting “f***!” and starfishing across the porch on his back.

The footage – which has been partly redacted by authorities to remove sensitive footage – ends with Horton appearing to try the door handle to the neighbor’s property.

Investigators initially struggled to identify Horton as he had no ID on him at the time and was not known to the homeowners before that night. He was ultimately identified through his fingerprints.

Horton’s death came only ten days after he received “Investigator of the Year” from the City of Atlanta Police Department on September 24 at the 20th Annual Crime is Toast Awards, the department posted on Facebook.

Douglas County Sheriff Tim Pounds said in Monday’s statement as per The New York Post: “We want to emphasize that this was a tragic situation where the homeowner acted in defense of his life and home.

“At this time, we are confident that no charges will be filed against the homeowner.”

The couple’s home was previously been broken into in 2021 while they were asleep – leading the couple to enhance security in their home, reported Atlanta News First.