Man shot and killed by officers in Cobb County during drug-related traffic stop had a gun, GBI says

Channel 2 Action News has new information about a suspect that police shot and killed in Cobb County on Wednesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell the suspect had a gun in his truck and sped away during a drug-related traffic stop.

His truck ended up in some trees across from a Waffle House on South Cobb Drive near Windy Hill Road.

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South Cobb Drive was lined with police vehicles from several different agencies and flashing police lights could be seen for miles.

For multiple reasons, the traffic stop was a part of a multi-agency task force.

It was an officer-involved shooting and police were also brought in to direct traffic.

Brian Escarcega was at work nearby just as gunfire erupted on South Cobb Drive.

“It was just like boom, boom, boom,” Escarcega said. “You don’t expect things like this to go down in Cobb County.”

The GBI said it was a traffic stop that led to the massive scene.

Christian Smith was across the street and recorded video of what he described as a shootout.

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Smith said rapid gunfire went ‘back and forth’ for between five and ten minutes.

The GBI said Peter Luna-Lopez, the suspect in a drug investigation, sped away and a police officer used her police car to force Luna-Lopez’s truck off the road.

“We just saw the vehicle going down into the woods and then the officers were standing. They had their guns pointed down into the woods trying to get the suspect,” Escarcega said.

According to the GBI, officers approached Luna-Lopez’s truck and then fired shots inside, killing him.

“I just couldn’t believe what was going on, especially on this busy road,” Escarcega said.

It is unclear at this time if Luna-Lopez fired any shots.

He is from Marietta and GBI said gunshots came from Cobb County police and sheriff’s deputies who are a part of that multi-agency major crime unit.

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