Investigators say officers followed a blood trail along the route from the store to The Oliver apartments before the fatal confrontation.
CHAMBLEE, Ga. — A suspected shoplifter was shot and killed Thursday afternoon following a foot chase that started at a Walmart on Chamblee Tucker Road and ended in the parking lot of The Oliver apartments, police said. Officers said the man brandished a gun during the encounter, prompting at least one officer to open fire.
Authorities said the case is under review by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, a standard step after shootings involving officers. Chamblee Police Chief Michael Dieppa said the call came in shortly before 4 p.m., describing a shoplifting in progress. After a struggle in the store, the suspect ran across the busy corridor toward the apartment complex. Investigators later reported finding blood at a restaurant along the route, indicating the man may have been injured before the final confrontation. The shooting has renewed questions about retail crime near transit stops and how quickly routine calls can escalate.
Police said the encounter began inside Walmart with a “brief scuffle.” Dieppa said the man broke free and sprinted out of the store, crossing Chamblee Tucker Road as officers moved in from different angles. “They were able to follow him from different angles and basically came to a point where they confronted him again in the parking lot,” Dieppa said. The chief said the man pulled a firearm during that second encounter. “Rather than follow the commands of the officers, he brandished a firearm and was shot,” he said. Officers reported minor injuries at the scene; none was shot. The man died in the parking lot despite immediate aid by first responders.
Investigators identified the man Friday morning as 29-year-old Travis Damonta Harris. The GBI confirmed it was asked to investigate and had agents on scene. Detectives also documented a blood trail inside a nearby restaurant along the chase route, which police said suggested Harris was hurt before the final exchange; how he was injured remains unknown. Police did not immediately release how many rounds were fired or which of the two officers discharged their weapon. No other injuries among bystanders were reported. The apartment complex remained taped off into the evening as technicians marked shell casings and photographed vehicles in the lot.
The Walmart on Chamblee Tucker Road has drawn heavy police response before, including an officer-involved shooting tied to shoplifting in 2024, according to the chief. Dieppa pointed to the store’s proximity to a MARTA station, saying the location can attract “transit shoplifters” who come and go quickly. Residents of The Oliver apartments said sirens and helicopters have become a familiar backdrop along the corridor. Business owners nearby described a steady stream of theft calls during peak hours and expressed concern about after-school crowds. Chamblee has expanded cameras and license-plate readers in recent years to track fleeing suspects, but retail theft calls continue to pull patrol units.
Per department policy, the two officers involved were placed on administrative leave while the GBI conducts interviews, canvasses for video, and analyzes ballistic evidence. Once the state investigation is complete, the file will be sent to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office for review. An autopsy for Harris is expected to determine the exact cause and manner of death and document any preexisting injuries. Police said they are still collecting security video from Walmart, nearby businesses, and the apartment lot. No court dates are currently set; a public briefing from the city could be scheduled after initial reports are compiled.
Neighbors who watched from balconies described a burst of commands, then rapid shots, followed by officers rushing in with medical kits. A restaurant worker across the street said staff noticed smeared blood and called police as officers retraced the chase route. “It was chaos for a few minutes, then they pushed everyone back,” one worker said. Night-shift shoppers returning to their cars at Walmart said they waited for escorts from store security as crime scene tape stayed up. The chief said he was thankful his officers’ injuries were minor, adding, “We obviously mourn the loss of life in a case that began as a shoplifting call.”
As of Friday, the GBI investigation is ongoing and the officers remain on leave. The apartment parking lot reopened to residents overnight. Officials said more information, including body-camera footage, could be released after initial interviews and evidence reviews are completed in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated January 16, 2026.