Location: Cliff Circle, Newnan, Coweta County, Georgia
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026, shortly after 1 a.m.
Accused: No one charged. A Newnan Police Department officer, not publicly named, fired the shots
Charges: None announced
Status: GBI investigation ongoing; the district attorney will review the case
Zadarious Dorsey, an 18-year-old from Newnan, Georgia, was shot and killed by a Newnan police officer after a foot chase on Cliff Circle shortly after 1 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is investigating, and no decision has been announced on whether the officer's use of deadly force was justified.
One week later, Dorsey's family has watched the officer's body camera video with prosecutors, and they say what they saw has left them with more questions than answers. On Friday, October 9, about 100 people gathered outside the Newnan Police Department, many wearing shirts that read "Justice for Zadarious Dorsey."
Who Was Zadarious Dorsey?
Zadarious Dorsey was 18 years old and lived in Newnan with his aunt, Angela Brown. His family called him "Dae Dae." Relatives describe a close-knit family that is struggling with his loss.
Brown told the crowd at the protest that on weekend nights, when she got home around 5 a.m., her nephew would be waiting up for her and would come out to open her car door to make sure she was safe. "Our family is broken," she said. "Nothing, no words can fix us right now."
Community organizer Stacey Bristow, who has been helping the family, said: "This young man hasn't even begun to live life."
What Happened in Newnan on October 3?
According to the GBI's preliminary account, a Newnan police officer saw a white car near Dodson Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at about 1 a.m. and followed it until it stopped on Cliff Circle. As the officer walked up to speak with the driver, five men got out of the car. One walked toward a nearby home and the other four ran.
The GBI says the officer chased Dorsey on foot and told him to stop. The officer used a Taser, which investigators said did not work. The GBI says the officer then saw Dorsey pull a gun from his waistband area and ordered him to stop and drop it before firing several shots. Officers gave first aid until paramedics arrived, and Dorsey was taken to a hospital, where he died. Investigators said a gun was recovered at the scene, and no officers were hurt.
Authorities have not said why the officer first followed the car. The Citizen reported that the gun found at the scene had been reported stolen in Albany, Georgia, in 2020.
What the Family Says About the Body Camera Video
On October 9, eleven relatives, including Dorsey's grandmother, brother, sister, uncle, aunts and cousins, met for more than two hours with prosecutors, GBI agents and a victim advocate. They reviewed the body camera footage, surveillance video, police radio traffic, Taser data and a diagram of the scene.
Speaking at the protest that afternoon, Dorsey's aunt Christy White said the video showed her nephew asking the officer, "Why did you shoot me, bro?" She also questioned why he was handcuffed after he was shot, and said the diagram shown to the family placed the gun about 42 feet from where he fell. "How can you run, fall, and pull a gun out?" she asked.
These are the family's descriptions of the evidence. The video has not been released to the public, and investigators have not confirmed the family's account. Angela Brown also said the family first learned of Dorsey's death from people outside the police department. "Nobody told me nothing," she said.
What Prosecutors Have Said
Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney Herb Cranford confirmed on October 6 that his office had the officer's body camera footage and video from Cliff Circle. Cranford said the legal question is whether prosecutors can prove "beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer was unreasonable in believing deadly force was necessary."
The family agreed to support releasing the body camera video up to and including the shooting, but not images of Dorsey after he was shot. Cranford plans to release the evidence shown to the family, along with its presentation and timeline, once he receives the completed autopsy report, which prosecutors expect within the month.
What Happens Next
The GBI is handling the investigation at the Newnan Police Department's request, which is standard after police shootings in Georgia. When the GBI finishes, its file goes to the district attorney's office for review. Cranford has said he will meet with the family again after that work is done.
Bristow, founder of the Beyond the Streets Social Justice Task Force, plans to ask the Newnan City Council to set up a civilian complaint review board to examine police conduct. The Coweta County NAACP is also assisting the family. Newnan Mayor James Shepherd met with relatives on Wednesday, October 7, and offered his condolences.
The GBI asks anyone with information to call its Columbus regional office at (706) 565-7888 or leave an anonymous tip at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).
Timeline of the Zadarious Dorsey Case
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 | Shortly after 1 a.m., a Newnan officer shoots Zadarious Dorsey after a foot chase on Cliff Circle. He dies at a hospital. The GBI opens an investigation. |
| Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026 | District Attorney Herb Cranford confirms his office has the body camera footage and video from Cliff Circle. |
| Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026 | Mayor James Shepherd meets with Dorsey's family. |
| Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 | Eleven relatives review the evidence with prosecutors and GBI agents. About 100 people join a peaceful protest outside the Newnan Police Department. |
| Expected October 2026 | Autopsy report due; prosecutors plan to release the evidence after receiving it. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the Newnan officer been charged?
No. No charges have been announced. The GBI is still investigating, and the district attorney will decide after reviewing its findings. The officer has not been publicly named.
Will the body camera video be released?
District Attorney Herb Cranford plans to release the evidence shown to the family after the autopsy report is complete. The family supports releasing the video through the shooting, but not images of Dorsey afterward.
Why did the officer follow the car?
Authorities have not said. The family has asked why the officer approached the vehicle and whether the encounter was a traffic stop.
What does the family want?
Relatives are asking for a full investigation, transparency and accountability, along with answers about how they were notified of his death.
MotiveX covers cases like this in documentary form on YouTube.
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