A man with multiple felony warrants was shot in the leg and taken into custody early Tuesday after allegedly threatening officers with a machete and claiming he would shoot them, according to police.
Just after midnight, officers attempted to stop Cody Porter, who was walking on Laurel Lane and was known to be wanted on several felony warrants. Police say Porter ignored commands and ran, leading officers on a foot chase.
During the pursuit, Porter was armed with a machete and repeatedly reached into his waistband while telling officers he intended to shoot them. Attempts to stop him with less-lethal tools — including a Taser and BolaWrap — were deployed multiple times but were unsuccessful, according to LaGrange police.
The chase circled back to its starting point, where officers attempted to negotiate with Porter. Police say he raised the machete in a threatening manner, prompting a cover officer to fire a single shot, striking Porter in the leg. At the same moment, Porter threw the machete, which landed more than 47 feet away in a roadside ditch.
Porter was taken into custody and transported to Columbus Midtown Medical Center for treatment. No officers were injured. Multiple felony charges are pending, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure.
Police urge anyone with information to submit anonymous tips through Tip411 via the app, online portal, or by texting LAGRANGE to 847411.
