Video shows shirtless, shoeless cop breaking into residence before homeowner fatally shoots him in self-defense: Sheriff

More details have emerged in the case of a Georgia homeowner who fatally shot a decorated off-duty Atlanta police officer who reportedly broke into the homeowner's residence early in the morning last week.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said surveillance video shows the officer — who's shirtless and shoeless — breaking into the residence just after 5 a.m. Friday before the homeowner fatally shot him in self-defense.

The sheriff's office said when the homeowner slightly cracked the door to see what was going on, Horton forcibly rushed inside and knocked the homeowner to the ground.

You can view video of the incident here. The sheriff's office said in a Monday night news release that it released more information and the video to combat false claims about the incident.

Atlanta Police Officer Aubree Horton arrived at a home in the 8000 block of Orkney Way in Winston, the sheriff's office said. Winston is about a half hour west of Atlanta.

The video shows Horton yelling and running in the darkness before arriving at the door of the home. He slams his body against the door and yells, "Help me!" He backs away from the door and yells, "Kill me!" before slamming his body into the door again. The video shows him sitting down, and the homeowner can be heard asking through the door, "Who are you?"

Horton then says, "I love you. No, just kill me," before a porch light turns on. Video shows him cry out again and forcefully lie his back upon the porch. Horton then stands up again near the door as the homeowner is heard continuing to try communicating with him, and then the video ends.

The sheriff's office said some portions of video were redacted and will be available when the case is closed. The redacted portions include the sound of the fatal shot, an officer’s response to the home, and video of the homeowner minimally dressed when speaking to the officer.

The sheriff's office said the homeowner's wife had just left for work shortly before the incident — but while on her way to work she received multiple notifications from her Ring doorbell camera, saw the situation unfolding, and called 911.

Her husband was inside the home and in bed when he heard the commotion outside, the sheriff's office said. In addition, the sheriff's office emphasized that the couple in 2021 endured an attempted burglary during which their back door, which leads to their bedroom, was kicked open around 4 a.m. while they were asleep in bed. The incident led the homeowner to enhance security measures, including installing cameras and reinforcing exterior doors.

On Friday morning after he was awakened, the husband wasn't sure if his wife had departed for work, and he was concerned for her safety and called out for her as he armed himself and approached the front door, the sheriff's office said, adding that he also feared his wife could be in danger with the intruder outside their home.

The sheriff's office said when the homeowner slightly cracked the door to see what was going on, Horton forcibly rushed inside and knocked the homeowner to the ground. Fearing for his life and in defense of his home, the homeowner fired a single shot and fatally wounded Horton inside the residence, the sheriff's office said.

More from the sheriff's office:

A Douglas County patrol officer who lives nearby and was about to leave for work, heard the commotion, and rushed to assist. Investigators from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office arrived on the scene and were initially unable to identify Horton, who was found without identification and wearing no shirt or shoes. His identity was later confirmed using a portable fingerprint scanner, and further investigation revealed that he lived in close proximity to the incident location.

It was later confirmed that Horton was an Atlanta Police Officer. We coordinated with the Atlanta Police Department to ensure proper notifications were made to his family, and that APD had time to prepare their own statements before releasing that information.

The sheriff's office said it's working closely with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, and "after reviewing the available facts, we are both confident that no charges will be filed against the homeowner."

Horton was selected as Investigator of the Year at the Atlanta Police Foundation's 20th Annual 'Crime Is Toast' Awards on Sept. 24.

The sheriff's office also dispelled rumors that a captain with the sheriff's office is the homeowner. The sheriff's office also said, "There is no truth to the claim that Officer Horton was involved in a domestic disturbance, or that any family member of his sought refuge at the home. Horton was completely unknown to the homeowner."

In addition, the sheriff's office said it cannot release a full report until toxicology results come back "which could take several months."

WAGA-TV, citing authorities, previously reported that Horton also lived in the St. Andrews Country Club neighborhood — about a half-mile from the crime scene — and may have been experiencing a mental health episode or under the influence of narcotics.

Atlanta police confirmed in a statement that Horton — who had been with the department since November 2015 and most recently was assigned to the Fugitive Unit — was off duty at the time of the incident, the station said.

Horton was selected as Investigator of the Year at the Atlanta Police Foundation's 20th Annual "Crime Is Toast" Awards on Sept. 24.

You can view a video report here about the updated information surrounding the incident.

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