Man in critical condition after police shooting at wrong house

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A Henry County man is in critical condition after family members said he was shot outside his home by officers.

While fighting for his life, William Powell is surrounded by his three children and grandchildren at Atlanta Medical Center as the Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigates the Tuesday shooting at his Stockbridge house. 

“You know, I know accidents and mistakes happen, but at least say something, why it happened," said Clifton Worn, Powell's brother-in-law.

Authorities said the 63-year-old man was shot outside his home by a Henry County Police officer responding to a 911 call.

Powell's home sits directly behind his mother's house on Swan Lake Road in Stockbridge. Worn said he watched police and emergency responders go down Powell's driveway after gunfire woke him up.

“And I get up and I'm going down there, and they tell me I can't go down there, it's a crime scene, and come to find out they answered the wrong 911 call," said Worn.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, three officers were dispatched to a location based on instructions relayed by the 911 operator just before midnight on Tuesday. The caller said they heard an unknown female voice yelling for help and then gunshots.

According to the GBI, a preliminary review of the 911 recording showed the officers were at the wrong location. Agents said an armed Powell came face to face with officers when he opened his garage door.

“Now, he had a gun now. I'm not going to say he didn't. Round here, someone's messing around out here, flashing a light in your bedroom window, you’re going to get up and find out what's going on," Worn said.

A GBI spokesman said preliminary information indicates an officer shot Powell in the neck after he ignored officers' verbal commands to drop his weapon, but his wife gave a differing account to investigators, according to Powell's family.

Geraldine Huey, Powell’s mother said, “She says she heard a noise. The dogs were in the house. The dogs were up and heard that David got up to see what the dogs was barking at and I guess they was making such a racket, so he reached back to get his pistol.”

“According to her, she never heard anybody identify themselves or say they were a police officer. Only thing she heard was a shot and him hollering get back in the house and she's calling 911," said Worn.