Community rallies for David Hooks

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Community members gathered outside the Laurens County Courthouse on Monday to let it be known that they will not stand down on this issue.

The Hooks family attorney, Mitch Shooks, believes the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office is being deceptive with the information it has released regarding the deputy involved shooting on September 24th that killed David Hooks. 

According to the sheriff’s office, during a search of Hooks’ home, Hooks was shot when he grabbed a gun and acted aggressively toward the deputies.

Shooks said that wasn’t the case. 

“We now know that they broke the back door down to the residence, came inside and while inside the residence fired an excessive 16 times at David,” explained Shooks. 

Shooks adds the deputies didn’t follow protocol when serving their search warrant. He believes the warrant the deputies had required them to knock on the door before entering the home, but instead, they broke down the back door.

The Sheriff’s Office reports David had a firearm in his hand that night.

Shooks argues that was his was of protecting his home. He mentioned someone broke into the Hooks’ home the night before the fatal shooting.

“I think he thought some burglars were back at his house and he was going to try and scare them,” noted Shooks.

Friends, family, and concerned citizens gathered at the Laurens County Courthouse to make a statement in honor of David.

“We will not forget this case. We will have justice for David. There are other people out there who are seeking the same answers,” explained Catherine Bernard, a criminal defense attorney and the rally organizer.

The rally included testimonies from people who lost loved ones to officer involved shootings.

Bernard said this will not be the last rally.

We reached out to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office for comment, but have not heard back.