A veteran member of law enforcement was reportedly killed in the line of duty while working the weekend shift in Decatur County, Georgia.
On Monday, Decatur County Sheriff Wiley Griffin confirmed that Lieutenant Justin Bedwell died earlier in the morning, following surgical complications related to a gunshot wounds.
Bedwell was a 19-year veteran of the DCSO, and was a member of the command staff.
“He trained many of the younger deputies that currently work for this community. Lieutenant Bedwell will be truly missed and we are devastated by his passing,” Sheriff Griffin wrote in a post shared on Facebook. “Please continue to pray for Lieutenant Bedwell’s family, the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office, and our community.”
According to WTXL, Bedwell was transported to a hospital in Tallahassee, Florida, but succumbed to his wounds.
The fatal shooting took place on February 27, when a white pickup was stopped for reckless driving in nearby Seminole County. The two suspects, 41-year-old Brad Phillips and his 40-year-old brother Troy Arthur Phillips, opened fire on the lawmen.
Once the pickup crossed over into Decatur County lines, DCSO deputies responded.
During the chase, the suspects attempted to break into a local’s home, shooting through the door.
Unfortunately for the suspects, the homeowner was armed and returned fire, driving them off.
As Lt. Bedwell was arriving to the scene of the shooting, one of the suspects shot at the lawman’s vehicle, mortally wounding Bedwell.
Both of the Phillips brothers were captured over the weekend.
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