The suspect in the shooting of a Brookhaven Police officer this week turned himself into authorities Friday afternoon and has been booked in the DeKalb County Jail.
Brandon Joseph Barabino, 34, turned himself into law enforcement authorities about 1:30 p.m. on June 10. He faces an aggravated assault charge against the officer, according to Brookhaven Major Brandon Gurley.
Barabino is accused of shooting at a Brookhaven officer on June 7.
According to police,Sgt. Lonnie Napier was parked in the Village at Druid Hills shopping plaza when a man ran up to him and shouted, “I just got robbed.”
Napier drove around the plaza looking for the suspect and pulled up to a white car. The white car reversed and struck the officer’s car. The driver of the white car got out and said he was just robbed by a man who ran into a nearby apartment complex.
Napier drove to the complex looking for the suspect and saw a black vehicle backing out of a parking space. The driver of the black vehicle, now identified as Barabino, saw the officer, lowered his window, and he and Napier spoke face-to-face, according to Major Brandon Gurley, police spokesperson. Napier asked the man if he had seen someone running. Gurley said Barabino pointed behind Napier and told him the man ran that in that direction.
A bullet struck the rear window of the Brookhaven Police Car, shattering it. (via BPD)
As Napier moved his car to try to get the tag number of the black car, Barabino fired a shot at Napier, according to police. “The bullet entered through the rear driver’s side window missing the officer’s head by inches,” said police.
The suspect then led police on a car chase into DeKalb County where he lost control of his car on Briarlyn Court and fled the scene on foot.
Barabino was arrested for armed robbery in 2008 and then released in 2009, according to DeKalb County Jail records.