On a February morning in 2016, a veteran police officer’s life was cut short in Riverdale, Georgia. Major Gregory Eugene Barney, a 50-year-old Black / African American male with 26 years of service with the Riverdale Police Department, was assisting the Clayton County Police Department with a drug raid at the Villages on the River apartment complex on February 11th. He was a respected figure in his department, having also previously served with the Fulton County Sheriff's Office.
Assigned to the perimeter of the apartment building where a "no-knock" warrant was being served, Major Barney was not part of the primary entry team and, as was common for his command staff position, was not wearing a bulletproof vest. When officers knocked on the door of the targeted apartment, a suspect, 24-year-old Jerand Ross, burst out of a back door in an attempt to escape. Ross, armed with a handgun, encountered Major Barney. During the confrontation, Ross shot Major Barney multiple times in the torso and arm. The chase was brief, covering about 200 feet before the fatal encounter.
After shooting Major Barney, Ross continued to flee but was quickly confronted by a Clayton County police officer who shot him. Major Barney was rushed to Southern Regional Medical Center, where he tragically succumbed to his injuries. The community mourned the loss of the dedicated officer, who was a husband and a father to twin sons. His funeral drew thousands of fellow officers and residents, a testament to the impact he had on his community.
Jerand Ross was transported to Atlanta Medical Center and was charged with murder for the death of Major Barney. However, due to the severity of his injuries, Ross never regained consciousness and died several weeks later. The murder warrant was never served because of his medical condition. During the raid on the apartment, two other men, Joey C. King and Robert Dixon Jr., were arrested on drug and weapons charges. Police found marijuana, Xanax pills, a handgun, and cash inside the apartment. The mother of the suspect, Jerand Ross, expressed her sorrow for the Barney family, revealing that she knew and respected the major from his time as a school resource officer.
