DeKalb officer arrested after fatally shooting 19-year-old; new warrants reveal what happened
DeKalb County police Officer Derrick Harris Jr. has been booked into the DeKalb County Jail following charges in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Seth Jayden Eccles.
Harris was booked at 10:35 a.m. Thursday, July 9, on charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct, according to jail records. His bond was set at $11,200.
The booking comes as newly filed arrest warrants provide more details about the moments before Eccles was shot during an arrest.
According to affidavits filed in the case, investigators say Eccles complied with Officer Harris' commands, got on the ground and was lying face down when Harris attempted to handcuff him.
The documents state Harris was holding his firearm in one hand and handcuffs in the other when the gun accidentally discharged, striking Eccles.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation previously said Harris fired his weapon during the arrest and struck Eccles. The newly released warrants appear to provide the first publicly filed court documents in which investigators describe the shooting as an "accidental discharge."
Harris, 37, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct following the July 7 shooting, according to the GBI.
What the warrants say happened
The affidavits state the encounter happened around 7:45 p.m. on July 7 in Avondale Estates.
Investigators said Harris located Eccles in the backyard of a home after officers were searching for him. The warrant affidavit states Eccles was believed to be wanted in connection with a previous armed robbery.
According to the affidavits, Eccles was lying in a prone position with his hands behind his back as Harris attempted to handcuff him.
Why investigators charged Harris with reckless conduct
The reckless conduct affidavit outlines the specific action investigators say led to the charge.
According to the document, investigators allege Harris "consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk" by holding a firearm in one hand while attempting to handcuff Eccles with the other.
The affidavit states investigators believe that action endangered Eccles and was "a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation."
The documents provide the first public explanation of what investigators believe constituted reckless conduct.
The involuntary manslaughter affidavit states prosecutors believe Harris unintentionally caused Eccles' death while committing the alleged reckless conduct offense.
The document states Harris "did cause the death of Seth Eccles, a human being, without any intention to do so, by shooting him."
Investigation into Eccles' death
The GBI said the shooting happened as law enforcement searched for Eccles during an investigation into an armed robbery involving a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier.
According to the GBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents and DeKalb County police identified Eccles as a person of interest in the investigation. Authorities later discovered he had an active arrest warrant.
Investigators said Eccles ran into nearby woods after officers attempted to locate him, leading to a search.
The GBI said DeKalb County 911 began receiving calls around 7 p.m. about a suspicious person moving through backyards on Rammel Way in Avondale Estates.
Authorities said Harris later located Eccles and took him into custody.
Officers and emergency medical personnel provided life-saving measures before Eccles was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The GBI said its investigation remains ongoing and will be submitted to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office for review.
DeKalb County police said Harris has been terminated for violating the law. The department and DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson have expressed condolences to Eccles' family and said the county remains committed to accountability and transparency.
