In the winter of 2008, a tragic event unfolded in Decatur, Georgia, that cut short the life of a dedicated public servant. Ricky Bryant, a 26-year-old male DeKalb County Police Officer, was killed in the line of duty on the evening of Wednesday, January 16, 2008. Bryant, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who had served with the police department for two years, was working an off-duty security detail at an apartment complex on Glenwood Road with his partner, Officer Eric Barker.
The two
officers were patrolling the complex when they encountered a suspicious person. A struggle ensued with the individual, during which the suspect managed to gain control of one of the officers' service weapons. He then opened fire, fatally shooting both Officer Bryant and Officer Barker. The suspect fled the scene, and the officers were discovered by a tow truck driver who called 911 approximately ten minutes later.
Several days after the shooting, a suspect named William Woodard was apprehended. His girlfriend turned him in to the authorities. Woodard, who was 31 at the time of the trial and a three-time convicted felon, was subsequently charged with two counts of felony murder and possession of a gun by a convicted felon. During his trial, prosecutors argued that Woodard shot the officers to avoid returning to prison. Woodard's defense claimed that he acted in self-defense, alleging that the officers were beating him. However, witnesses testified that they did not see the officers strike Woodard and that he was the one who shot first.
On October 12, 2012, after about seven hours of deliberation, a jury found William Woodard guilty on all eight charges against him, including multiple counts of murder and weapons violations. Following his conviction, Woodard was sentenced to life in prison. Officer Ricky Bryant was survived by his wife and four children.
