CASE FILE: AYERS FEARED A ROBBERY

Reading through the 1,100-word GBI investigative case file regarding
the shooting death of the Rev. Jonathan Ayers in Toccoa by an
undercover drug agent on Sept. 1, there is a common thread on many of
the witness statements.

Ayers, who died in or following surgery at Stephens County Hospital
that night, apparently thought he was being robbed and otherwise
didn't know why agent Billy Shane Harrison fired two shots at him. At
least that's what is indicated by witness interviews.

Registered nurse Jennifer Nicholson of Stephens County Hospital, who
went to the emergency room to get Ayers, heard Ayers tell his wife, "I
didn't do anything wrong," the GBI investigative case summary states.

Stephens County Hospital surgical technician Sondra Camberg recognized
Ayers, stating that he had been her pastor for the past year.

"Camberg overheard Ayers tell the officers that he had gotten $20 out
of the ATM and then thought he was getting robbed," the GBI
investigative case summary states. "Ayers stated that he was scared
and put the car in reverse."

Michelle Brouwer, a surgical technician at Stephens County Hospital,
overheard Ayers say that he was "really afraid and thought someone was
trying to rob me," the investigative case summary of Brouwer's
interview states.

After Ayers was in the operating room, two officers entered to speak
to Ayers about what had happened.

"Ayers stated that the individual came up on his passenger side and
that he was scared," the investigative case summary of Nicholson's
comments states. "Ayers stated that he then put the car in reverse."

Registered nurse Carol Walton remembered Ayers stating to officers
that he had gone to the ATM at the gas station to get money.

"When he came out and got into his car, a dark vehicle drove up in a
fast manner and two guys jumped out and started waving guns at him,"
the GBI's investigative case summary states. "Ayers tried to drive off
and they shot at him."

Walton informed the GBI case agent that "Dr. Pinkerton then stopped
the interview."

Matthew Kervin, an anesthesiologist, related to investigators an
interview he overheard between an investigator and Ayers.

In response to the investigator asking what happened, Ayers said,
"This guy walked up to my car and waved (tapped on my car/window with)
a gun and said 'get out of the car,'" the case file states.

Responding to the question of what happened, Ayers said, "I don't
know, I thought I was being robbed," the case file states.

Harrison and other plainclothes agents from the Mountain Judicial
Circuit Criminal Investigation and Suppression Team approached Ayers'
car in the parking lot of the Shell convenience store near downtown
Toccoa on Sept. 1 to question Ayers about his involvement with the
female target of a drug/prostitution investigation.

When Harrison and Deputy Commander Chance Oxner approached the car,
Ayers put the car in reverse and struck Oxner.

Harrison then fired two shots into the vehicle, one grazing Ayers'
right arm and the other striking his right chest.

A Stephens County grand jury found Dec. 18 that Harrison's shooting of
Ayers on Sept. 1 was legally justifiable under state law.

More information from the Ayers case file will be presented in
upcoming editions of The Northeast Georgian.