Officer shot.....no wait.....she lied and was caught.
http://wgxa.tv/news/local/gbi-jackson-officer-lied-about-being-shot-by-man-shot-herselfJACKSON, Ga. -- A Jackson Police Officer faces multiple charges after lying about being shot, according to the GBI.
Officer Sherry Hall is charged with false statements, tampering with evidence, interference with government property and violation of oath office for reporting that she was shot on September 13 in Camilla Court.
She reported that she was patrolling an area when she noticed a male suspect on the side of the road. Hall said that the man became argumentative and fired one round at her, which struck her bullet-proof vest but did not penetrate it.
According to Nelly Miles with the GBI, preliminary evidence now shows that it "looks like" she shot herself. There is no, and never was, a suspect shooter at large.
The GBI recovered video and audio evidence from her patrol car's camera and found inconsistencies with Hall's statements, witness statements, and evidence.
Authorities spent 600 hours on the investigation.
According to the GBI, they then conducted another interview with Hall and at that point she stopped cooperating with the investigation. It was later revealed that Hall failed to tell the GBI she had an additional handgun issued to her by the police department. They found the gun inside her residence.
Neighbors that lived near where the incident occurred said they didn't leave their homes unless absolutely necessary in the days after. Now that they know the officer lied, they feel betrayed.
"I was a little worried," said Jake Smith, who lives in Camilla Court. "I was hoping that she got better and hoping the best for her."
Dollie Collier, another neighbor, said the whole story Hall told didn't make sense, so she's not surprised it's a lie.
"It sounded the same," Collier said. "I just said last night, if it was supposed to be two different guns, why does both shots sound the same?"
Hall told officials, including Butts County Sheriff Gary Long, that the suspect shot her and she returned two shots back.
"A lot of times humans make mistakes," Long said. "We expect mistakes to be made and cops are just that. This is not a mistake. This is a criminal."
Neighbors said the stories about a black male suspect on the loose started a controversy in Jackson.
"Police were harassing a lot of people," said Smith. "Anybody that so called fit the description. They were harassing them. Taking them down to the jail questioning them when it's not true."
For a few days Collier was scared to follow her normal routine because she was afraid of the so-called shooter.
"It had me kind of scared in the morning time," Collier said. "Because when I get up around 3, 3:30, preparing for work. I brush my teeth, wash my face and I come on the porch and smoke me a cigarette. Now that's it happened. I'm thinking there's a shooter on the loose. I stay in and smoke my cigarette. But now that they found the truth, I can come on the porch now."
For now, many citizens have questions going through their minds.
"Why would you even?" asked Smith. "That's a big question. Why? What was the whole point of coming into the neighborhood and then came up with a false story and everything. Why? What's the point of doing that."
Hall is now in a private facility after turning herself in. She will go to the Butts County Jail once released. Currently she is on administrative leave.
