The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says their investigation into the death of Jonathan Ayers could take four weeks to be completed.
Ayers, a northeast Georgia pastor, died after being shot by agents from a multi-county drug task force in early September.
GBI spokesman John Bankhead said 28-year-old Jonathan Paul Ayers, pastor of Shoal Creek Baptist Church in Lavonia, was not the target of the sting operation but a woman in his car was under investigation.
The shooting occurred after Ayers dropped the woman off at a store in downtown Toccoa. Bankhead said agents approached Ayers for questioning but the pastor tried to avoid them, putting his car in reverse before he struck one of the agents.
Bankhead said an agent shot at the car and Ayers suffered a gunshot wound to the torso. The woman was charged with cocaine possession and distribution.
Ayers’ brother-in-law Matt Carpenter talked with News Channel 7’s coverage partners at the “Independent Mail’ and said the pastor had nothing to do with drugs. “Any question of his character, particularly involving something like drugs, is just ridiculous,” he said. Ayers’ wife is 4 months pregnant with their first child.
The complete results of the probe into Ayer's death will be turned over to the District Attorney’s Office by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which says the timetable is subject to change.
The District Attorney’s Office - or an outside prosecutor if deemed appropriate - will review the GBI case file to determine whether the matter be sent to a Stephens County Grand Jury for review.
GBI says they can't comment officially on any of the specifics regarding the evidence that has been gathered to this point.
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