Road Rage Erupts in Gunfire! Driver Shoots at Family, Claims Self-Defense

On May 1st, 2022, the Austell Police Department received a report of a shooting on the road in Austell, Georgia.
The victims, a driver with their passenger and two children, claimed the suspect cut them off and then fired two shots at their car, leaving a bullet hole in the hood.
They followed the suspect, keeping the police updated on his location.
Austell police pulled over the suspect's vehicle and for safety reasons, they approached the vehicle with caution, ordering the suspect to step out at gunpoint. He was handcuffed and detained for questioning.
Officers informed the suspect of the reason for his detainment – the report of him shooting at another car on the road.
The suspect denied the accusation but did admit to having a gun in his car.
Officers spoke with the victims – two males with two children in the car. The driver, still shaken from the ordeal, recounted the events.
He told officers that the suspect cut them off on the road and then fired two shots directly at their car.
The officers observed a bullet hole on the hood of the car, a clear sign of gunfire, and documented it with photographs for evidence.
Officers also found a bullet casing under the back seat, potentially linking suspect to the shooting.
The passenger corroborated the driver's story, adding that he woke up and saw the suspect's car pull up next to them and started shooting.
Meanwhile, another officer advised the suspect of his Miranda rights and asked if he was willing to answer questions and provide his statement.
He agreed, but maintained his innocence of shooting at anyone and claimed the bullet casings were from a recent trip to the shooting range.
After continued questioning and presented with the evidence, the suspect finally changed his story yet again.
This time, he claimed self-defense. His version of events involved the driver pulling next to him, spitting on his car, and reaching for something threatening.
Fearing for his own safety, he claimed he fired in self-defense.
The police needed to verify the suspect's self-defense claim. They retrieved the gun from the victim's car and confirmed it was legal.
Most importantly, the driver and all the passengers in the car denied the suspect's allegation that the driver reached for a weapon.
He was charged with 4 counts of aggravated assault with a weapon, discharge of a gun near a public highway or street and cruelty to children in the second degree.