Holly MatkinAlamo, GA – Alamo Police Department (APD) Officer Dylan Harrison was murdered in the line of duty on Saturday during his first night working for the department.
The 26-year-old officer was fatally shot in an ambush attack outside the police department at approximately 1 a.m. on Oct. 9, ABC News reported.
The chain of events leading up to Officer’ Harrison’s murder began earlier in the night as he was working his first shift working as a part-time officer for the APD.
The earlier incident occurred on Friday night after Officer Harrison spotted a driver making a traffic violation in the parking lot of a Circle K gas station located across the street from the police department, ABC News reported.
Officer Harrison made contact with the driver, who allegedly became combative, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Lindsay Wilkes said.
Officer Harrison deployed his Taser during the ensuing brawl and police were ultimately able to take the suspect into custody.
Hours later, a friend of the suspect police had arrested opened fire on Officer Harrison outside police headquarters, fatally wounding him, ABC News reported.
“It is believed that the ambush-style attack on Officer Harrison was retaliation for the incident and the arrest of the man Friday night,” SAC Wilkes told reporters.
The alleged gunman, 43-year-old Damien “Luke” Ferguson, previously served eight years in prison for aggravated assault on a peace officer and multiple other offenses, ABC News reported.
Ferguson was released from prison in 2006.
He fled the scene after ambushing Officer Harrison.
U.S. Marshals and the State of Georgia SWAT Team served a search warrant at Ferguson’s Alamo home on Sunday and took him into custody without further incident, WSB reported.
He has been charged with murder and aggravated stalking related to a prior domestic assault incident, according to ABC News.
“I have never experienced a grief that I have felt since Officer Dylan Harrison’s life was taken in our small, quiet town,” APD Chief Karen Sanders told WSB. “Officer Harrison was a husband, a son and, more importantly, a father of a six-month-old boy.”
“His life was taken from him for simply doing his job. Despite the sadness that we have endured, I have found a sense of pride in seeing everyone pull together to right this tragic wrong,” Chief Sanders said.
Officer Harrison had four years of law enforcement experience, having also served with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, the Cochran Police Department, the Middle Georgia State University Police Department, and the Oconee Drug Task Force, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
He also spent time working as a paramedic and firefighter, CBS News reported.
His mother-in-law, Lisa Milks, said Officer Harrison was elated over becoming a new father, according to WXIA.
His son, Brody, is just six months old.
Milks said Officer Harrison was texting with his wife, Heather, just moments before he was murdered.
“He was super nice to everybody, give you the shirt off his back no matter what,” Milks told WXIA. “He was always professional.”
A fundraising page established to help Officer Harrison’s family in the wake of their loss has raised over $36,000 so far.
Early this morning, one of our law enforcement officials in Middle Georgia was killed in the line of duty. Our thoughts and prayers are with this officer’s family, friends, and colleagues at the Alamo Police Department.
May God continue to be with all who protect and serve.
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) October 9, 2021
Horrific – Officer Dylan Harrison age 26, was working his first shift as an officer with the Alamo Police Department, Georgia when he was gunned down outside the police station about 1 a.m. He is survived by his wife and their 6-month-old son. Pray for his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/UiibYTnobL
— New Jersey State PBA (@NJSPBA) October 10, 2021
Early this morning, Officer Dylan Harrison was shot & killed while working his very first shift with the Alamo Police Department in Georgia. Dylan is survived by his wife & 6-month-old-baby.
Our hearts go out to Dylan’s family, friends, & colleagues as they mourn his loss. pic.twitter.com/DRzbZlGzRf
— Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) October 10, 2021
This afternoon, less than 1 mile from where Alamo Police Officer Dylan Harrison was murdered, the SOG SWAT took Damien Ferguson into custody without incident. Intel provided by the @GBI_GA & @USMarshalsHQ was instrumental in capturing Ferguson. #gatrooper #DPSSWAT #gsp pic.twitter.com/Vr8B7moK1a
— Georgia Department of Public Safety (@ga_dps) October 10, 2021
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Alamo Police Department Officer Dylan Harrison, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Officer Dylan Harrison, your life mattered.
Sandy Malone
