Nicholas Thomas Shot and Killed by Georgia Police While Inside Maserati
Nicholas Thomas can be added to the growing list of African-American men who have been killed by police officers. Police in Smyrna, Georgia, say they feared for their lives when they shot at Thomas, 23, Tuesday afternoon at a parking lot while he was inside a Maserati, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reports.
Smyrna and Cobb County officers showed up to Thomas's job at a Goodyear Service Center to serve him with an arrest warrant. Thomas reportedly left when he saw the officers and entered a white Maserati. Thomas drove the vehicle toward officers, police say. Officers then opened fire on Thomas and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A witness said Thomas was driving in a different direction and not toward officers. The vehicle eventually hit the curb. "He was a loveable guy, he would do anything for anybody," Thomas's mother said, according to 11Alive.com. "He loved cars, he loved his family. He just had a baby. She's not even 5 months old!"
Thomas had a criminal history. In 2014, he was convicted of aggravated assault on an officer. On March 21, 2013, he was accused of driving a vehicle towards a Kennesaw State University officer.
The Smyrna Police Department are reportedly investigating the incident.
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