UPDATED: Officers Cleared In Cherry Tree Crossing Shooting

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UPDATED: Officers Cleared In Cherry Tree Crossing...

Richmond County Sheriff's Office Deputies Michael Hodge and Jose Ortiz have been cleared in a December shooting that killed a 23-year-old suspect, Justin Elmore. Elmore was shot and killed by two...

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By Randy Key
Published: May 5, 2009
Updated: May 6, 2009

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Augusta, GA—The State presented its case to for more than six hours. It was a long day with the state calling four witnesses, including 2 GBI agents.

Just a few minutes after the word the officers would be cleared, I spoke with the Sheriff who expressed relief that the officers were not charged.

Sheriff Ronnie Strength says Deputies Michael Hodge and Jose Rivera Ortiz have a had a rough few months, waiting for this case to be heard by a Grand Jury. He says it’s also been tough for the department, as a whole.

You’ll remember, in December, dumpsters were set on fire, tempers flared, and several arrests were made as residents got word of the shooting, but the Sheriff says his concern now is for peace and calm in the Cherry Tree Crossing subdivision, now, and the months to come.

Sheriff Ronnie Strength, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office: “We definitely want a peaceful night, and we hope we don’t have to go over there. But, we would have to react…99 percent of the folks over there are good people, and they must be protected. I think, last time that we were over there, when we had the shooting, the folks that we did arrest were not even from there. They did not live there. They came from the outside and you can get a handful of agitators and cause some problems. We hope it does not happen this time.“

Just in case tensions run high, the Sheriff says he has a reaction team in place to respond to any problems to try prevent what we saw happen in December. The Georgia State Patrol, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, DNR and Richmond County officers are on standby.

Count on WJBF News Channel 6 to provide more information on this breaking story as it develops.

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Flag Comment Posted by leebraxjr on May 06, 2009 at 2:38 pm

I have been around many states and Countries and I have seen many things. If there is one person that can hold their head high with pride from seeing the truth from a cut video there is a place in #### for you.

That child did not deserve to die by no man!

I have many feelings running, I still support Richmond Counties best, but murder is one of Georgia’s dealiest sins.

If there is anyone who has pride of this behavior and senseless death of another human, I only ask that you look into your household and yourself and then ask “this is my body laying here and everyone is justifying my death”.

Flag Comment Posted by muffinsgirl on May 06, 2009 at 9:02 am

Thank God we have a justice system that does gets down to the truth! Thank you to all the officers out there working to keep us safe, its a shame you have to get so much grief for doing your job. I wonder if they will get an apology from all the “civil rights” folks, who always seem to be there to lay blame, but are not there when the real truth comes out.

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UPDATED: Officers Cleared In Cherry Tree Crossing Shooting

UPDATED: Officers Cleared In Cherry Tree Crossing...

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