Mother vows lawsuit after Marietta man dies from shot to the head by Woodstock police

A grieving mother, Lenette Millard, is passionately seeking justice for her son, Emmanuel, who tragically lost his life after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head by a Woodstock police officer. 

This tragic incident unfolded as officers attempted to apprehend Millard following a chase into Cobb County. 

Emmanuel “Pat” Millard, of Marietta, was in critical condition and urgently transported to a hospital. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on October 14.

As she mourns the loss of her 20 year old son, Lenette Millard is resolute in her determination to take legal action against the department and seek justice for her son.

She has established a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for both legal fees and funeral expenses.

In the GoFundMe account she created, Lenette wrote: “On Thursday, October 12th, my world was shattered when Emmanuel was tragically shot, and to make matters even more heart-wrenching, he was pronounced dead on Saturday, October 14th. What’s equally devastating is the fact that this information was kept hidden from the public — my son was shot in the head by the police.” To donate or for more information, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/emmanuel-pat-millard

Lenette referenced the lack of transparency about her son’s death and that it has added to the family’s pain saying, “The police department is wrong, yet they have provided us with no information, no closure, and no justice.” 

As she seeks donations Lenette wrote, “Emmanuel deserves the truth, and we will not rest until justice is served.”

The Woodstock Police Department has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to investigate. The City of Woodstock is also conducting its own internal investigation and says it cannot speak about details of the investigation until it is complete.

According to Woodstock police, the incident began with an attempted traffic stop around 10:43 p.m. on October 12, near Highway 92 and Hames Road. Emmanuel allegedly fled in his car, prompting a pursuit by the police. 

The gray Hyundai he was driving ran off the road in multiple instances, attempted to strike police cars, and came dangerously close to civilian vehicles. 

In response, the police conducted a PIT maneuver, which resulted in Emmanuel crashing near Highway 92 and Old Mountain Park Road in north Cobb County.

The GBI, in a news release, provided preliminary information, stating that Emmanuel had been boxed in, and the police were attempting to remove him from the vehicle when he was shot. 

The GBI report stated, “As officers attempted to remove Milliard from the car, an officer fired once, hitting Millard. Millard was removed from the car by officers who rendered aid until EMS arrived on the scene.”

The officer who shot Emmanuel was equipped with a body camera; however, the footage has not been released to the public. 

Woodstock police have confirmed that the unidentified officer is on administrative leave pending the results of the GBI’s investigation.

Woodstock Police Chief Robert Jones said in a statement on Oct. 13, “The Woodstock Police Department understands the value of every human life and will diligently work to maintain transparency throughout this investigation. We recognize during officer involved shooting incidents, the media and community will have questions. The department will do our best to provide information as it becomes available to be released. Our goal in this and every situation is to act with integrity so that we maintain the public’s trust.” 

Upon the completion of the GBI investigation, the case file will be forwarded to the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office for their review and consideration, which is standard procedure to determine whether any legal actions or charges should be pursued in relation to the incident.