Investigators allege Derrick Harris Jr. was holding his gun while trying to handcuff 19-year-old Seth Jayden Eccles.
DEKALB COUNTY, GA — A DeKalb County police officer was fired and charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct after authorities said he fatally shot a compliant 19-year-old while taking him into custody.
Derrick Harris Jr., 37, surrendered and was booked into the DeKalb County Jail on Thursday, two days after Seth Jayden Eccles of Savannah was shot in the backyard of an Avondale Estates home. Harris was later released on bond. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation and said the case will be sent to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution and review.
The shooting occurred July 7 as DeKalb County police and U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents investigated the armed robbery of a mail carrier. Authorities identified Eccles as a person of interest in that investigation, but they have not said that he had been charged in the robbery.
Postal inspectors initially spoke with Eccles and allowed him to leave, according to the GBI. Law enforcement officers later learned that Eccles had an active arrest warrant. When officers and federal agents located him again, investigators said, he ran into nearby woods.
At about 7 p.m., DeKalb County emergency dispatchers began receiving reports of a suspicious person moving through backyards along Rammel Way in Avondale Estates. Harris found Eccles in a backyard at about 7:45 p.m. and gave him commands while pointing his firearm at him, according to investigators.
Eccles followed the commands and lay face down with his hands behind his back, according to allegations contained in arrest warrant affidavits. Investigators allege Harris kept his firearm in one hand while attempting to place handcuffs on Eccles with the other.
The firearm discharged during the arrest, striking Eccles in the back, the affidavits allege. DeKalb County officers and emergency medical workers attempted to save him, but he died from his injuries. No officers were hurt.
The warrant affidavits describe the discharge as accidental, but prosecutors allege Harris handled the weapon in a reckless manner while taking Eccles into custody. An allegation that a shooting was accidental does not prevent criminal charges when investigators believe a person’s conduct caused a death.
Harris faces one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless conduct. The charges are allegations, and his guilt or innocence has not been decided in court. Publicly available reports did not identify an attorney speaking on his behalf or provide a plea in the case.
The DeKalb County Police Department terminated Harris after the charges were filed. Officials have not released complete personnel records, body-camera footage or additional details about the department’s internal review.
The GBI said its independent investigation remains active. Agents will submit their findings to the district attorney after the investigation is completed, and prosecutors will determine how the criminal case moves forward.
Author note: Last updated July 10, 2026.