Chattooga Sheriff requests GBI investigate allegations of excessive force

Chattooga Sheriff requests GBI investigate allegations of excessive force

May 29th, 2024 – 12:00 PM

WZQZ Radio –

Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader said on Monday that he is asking the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations that sheriff’s deputies and Georgia State Troopers used excessive force at the scene of a four-wheeler accident on Stateline Road at Cloudland on May 16th.

Christopher Cunningham, Jr. was severely injured after falling off a four-wheeler he was riding on the county road.  

The sheriff’s office, EMT, and the Georgia State Patrol say that Cunningham was being combative with law enforcement officers and EMTs. 

The situation escalated after Cunningham reportedly bit one of the emergency workers and a deputy used a taser on Cunningham.

Cunningham’s family maintains that law enforcement and EMTs used excessive force during the incident.

Sheriff Schrader said in a statement released to local media on Monday afternoon, “As a matter of public transparency, I have formally requested the GBI conduct an independent investigation into the recent incident that occurred on State Line Road. My office is still continuing our internal investigation and evaluation of this incident”.