DATE: July 2, 2018
Marietta Officers Prevent a Potentially Deadly Shooting
On Saturday morning, June 30th at approximately 6:41 AM Cobb County 911 dispatched Marietta Police Officers to a report of suspicious activity at 248 Aviation Road. The homeowner reported an unfamiliar vehicle had just parked in their yard and the driver was now stumbling around the area acting suspiciously.
When Officers arrived a few minutes later, the vehicle was parked in the lawn, unoccupied. Witnesses in the area directed the Officers to the back-parking lot of a nearby school. When Officer Maria Funes confronted the suspect, he quickly turned to run away with Officer Funes in pursuit. Officer Rocky Ellenson was approaching from the side and was also running to intercept the fleeing suspect when they both observed the suspect stop abruptly, square off toward Funes and attempt to draw a black handgun from his waist. Before he could actually point the gun, Officer Ellenson tackled him, wrapped his arms around him and knocked the gun out of his hand. Both officers restrained the suspect on the ground where he fought with them for more than two minutes before placing him in handcuffs.
Officer Ellenson is a Marine Sergeant with five years active duty experience before joining the Marietta Police Department four and a half years ago. Officer Funes is an active, thirteen-year Army Reserve Staff Sergeant who joined the Marietta Police Department eight years ago.
The officers had eleven seconds from the time the suspect ran, stopped, drew his weapon and was taken to the ground. The split-second decisions they both made are a testament to their years of training and service to our country as well as the residents of Marietta.
It was later discovered the vehicle is registered to the suspect, Josiah Benjamin Moorhous. Moorhous has an extensive violent history including fighting with law enforcement. He was booked into Cobb Adult Detention Center on warrant 18-W-6132 and is facing the following charges:
Aggravated Assault Officer (F)
Obstruction / Hindering Law Enforcement (M)
VGCSA Possession Cocaine (F)
Possession of a Firearm by a Felon (F)
Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony – Controlled Substance (F)
DUI Drugs (M)
Driving, Expired Tag (M)
Driving, No Insurance (M)
After reviewing the film of this incident, it is clear that the use of deadly force by the officers would have been justified, yet the officers used their experience, skills and good judgement to prevent the situation from becoming deadly.
