October 6, 2026 Press Release re: October 3, 2026 Officer-Involved Shooting in Newnan
On the morning of Saturday, October 3, 2026, the District Attorney was contacted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and informed that a Newnan Police Department (NPD) officer shot and killed 18-year-old Zadarious Dorsey. On Monday, October 5, 2026, the District Attorney obtained contact information from the GBI for Dorsey's family, specifically his grandmother, with whom the GBI had previously spoken. At approximately noon on October 5, the District Attorney spoke to a female who identified herself as Dorsey's grandmother and a male who declined to identify himself.
In that call, the District Attorney offered to meet with Dorsey's family to explain the criminal justice process regarding officer-involved shootings and to go over the evidence in the District Attorney's possession. This evidence included the videos from the body-worn camera worn by the officer who shot and killed Dorsey and the camera showing Cliff Circle, where the officer and Dorsey first interacted and from where the foot chase began.
The male who assisted Dorsey's grandmother with the phone call said the family declined to meet with the District Attorney for the time being because the family was grieving. The District Attorney provided the family with the name of the District Attorney's Office Victim Advocate, who would be the family's point of contact moving forward, and asked the family to reach out when they wanted to schedule a meeting to discuss the case and review the evidence.
In an effort to provide Dorsey's family with as much information as possible when that meeting occurs, the District Attorney requested earlier today that the GBI Division of Forensic Sciences expedite its testing of the evidence associated with this case. It is the District Attorney's understanding that Dorsey's autopsy was completed today by the GBI Medical Examiner's Office, so the District Attorney also requested that the completion of the autopsy report be expedited.
The GBI and NPD have made the District Attorney aware that they have received a number of open record requests for information and evidence regarding this case. According to OCGA 50-18-72(a)(4), such records are not subject to public disclosure while any investigation or prosecution is pending. However, the District Attorney will consider publicly releasing evidence associated with this case, including the above-referenced videos, once Dorsey's family has had the opportunity to see the evidence first and give their input on whether and how to release any of it to the public. The District Attorney will otherwise generally decline further public comment while this case is under investigation by the GBI and under review by the District Attorney's Office.
JOHN HERBERT CRANFORD, JR.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
COWETA JUDICIAL CIRCUIT