2 months ago
A northeast Georgia pastor has died after being shot by agents from a multi-county drug task force.
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 Wednesday afternoon.
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 cause of his death was pending the results of an autopsy.
The woman was charged with cocaine possession and distribution.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
