Atlanta – Atlanta police have obtained an arrest warrant for a man who they say sold illegal drugs to undercover operatives at a northwest Atlanta home on Tuesday afternoon.
A 92-year-old woman died that evening in a hail of bullets when she fired at three undercover agents with a “no knock” warrant who broke down her door.
Police say they found illegal drugs in the home of Kathryn Johnston after the shootout.
“Yes, narcotics was found at the location,” said Officer James Polite, spokesman for the Atlanta police.
He declined to elaborate further, citing an ongoing investigation.
The shootout is under investigation by Atlanta police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which had evidence trailers at the Johnston home Wednesday night.
Police say they do not know the identity of the suspect who allegedly sold them drugs at the residence earlier in the day and have issued a warrant for him on charges of selling illegal narcotics in the name of John Doe.
He is described as a black male, 33 to 36 years old, weighing about 250 pounds. He is about 6 feet tall, with black hair and brown eyes.
According to her relatives, Johnston was a frightened woman who had burglar bars on her windows and doors and rarely let friends and neighbors into her home. Five of her shots from a revolver hit the three officers, who were all treated at Grady Hospital and released.
She was hit twice in the chest, according to the coroner’s report. Bullets also hit her extremities.
Police declined to say how many shots were fired by police.
