Two separate overnight incidents at local convenience stores leave an officer and a civilian hospitalized.
DEKALB COUNTY, GA — A DeKalb County police officer was stabbed and a civilian was shot in two unrelated incidents at separate gas stations early Friday morning. Authorities confirmed the officer is in stable condition while the shooting victim remains in critical condition following emergency surgery at a local hospital.
The violence began around 3:30 a.m. when officers responded to a Chevron gas station on the 5400 block of Covington Highway. Investigators said they were called to the scene to handle an intoxicated man who was reportedly harassing and disturbing customers. The encounter quickly turned physical when the suspect produced a knife and attacked the responding personnel. DeKalb County police officials said the officer suffered multiple cuts during the struggle before additional backup arrived to take the suspect into custody.
Witnesses at the Covington Highway scene described a chaotic fight that spilled through the convenience store. “The suspect attacked the officers and pulled out a knife,” a police spokesperson said during an early morning briefing. The injured officer was rushed to a nearby medical center, where doctors expect a full recovery. The suspect, whose name has not yet been released, was also transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained during the arrest. Police confirmed he will face multiple felony charges once he is medically cleared and booked into the county jail.
Less than 10 minutes away, a second crime scene developed at a Texaco gas station in the 2400 block of Candler Road. Officers found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot. A gas station attendant told investigators the shooting happened directly in front of the store’s entrance following a verbal argument between two men. The victim was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital for emergency surgery. While police have recovered several firearms from the Candler Road location, they have not yet announced any formal arrests in connection with the shooting.
The back-to-back incidents have renewed local debate regarding a 2023 county ordinance that requires all 24-hour convenience stores to maintain high-definition surveillance systems. DeKalb County law mandates that these cameras cover gas pumps, registers, and parking lots at all times. Detectives spent several hours Friday morning downloading footage from both the Chevron and Texaco locations to identify the shooter on Candler Road and document the sequence of the officer’s stabbing on Covington Highway. Records show the Candler Road gas station was the site of a fatal shooting in 2023, leading to increased calls for safety improvements in the area.
Procedural steps are currently focused on the recovery of the injured officer and the interrogation of the stabbing suspect. The DeKalb County Police Department has not indicated if any additional suspects are being sought in the Candler Road shooting, but they are asking anyone with information to contact the North Precinct. Legal filings for the stabbing suspect are expected to be processed through the DeKalb County Magistrate Court early next week. Investigators have finished processing both scenes, and the gas stations have since returned to normal business hours.
Area residents expressed growing concern over the frequency of late-night violence at local intersections. One neighbor, who arrived at the Texaco shortly after the shooting, described the scene as “shaken” and noted that the community is eager for more consistent patrols. “It’s a lot for one night,” the witness said while watching investigators place evidence markers near the storefront. Police stayed on the scene until sunrise to ensure all forensic evidence was collected from the parking lots before the morning commute began.
Investigators are expected to provide a formal update on the shooting victim’s condition and release the stabbing suspect’s identity by Monday afternoon. Both cases remain active and ongoing investigations under the DeKalb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit.
Author note: Last updated March 7, 2026.