Police in Georgia are mourning the loss of an officer and father of seven children who they say was gunned down by an intoxicated suspect at Waffle House this weekend.
Kevin Jordan, 43, who had been with the Griffin Police Department for four years, was fatally shot by Michael D. Bowman, 30, early Saturday morning, according to police.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that an altercation at the Waffle House began when Jordan asked three drunk and disorderly customers to leave the restaurant.
Instead, the three allegedly began hurling racial slurs at Jordan, who was a retired Marine.
The officer's brother, Raymond Jordan, said he was at the restaurant to keep his brother company while he worked, and witnessed the fatal shooting.
As the argument between Jordan and the patrons escalated outside the restaurant, Jordan attempted to restrain and arrest 28-year-old Chantell Mixon while on the ground when Bowman "maliciously shot" Jordan five times in the back, killing him, according to a police statement.
Michael Bowman (L), Chantell Mixon (R)
The victim's brother was inside the restaurant when he heard the shooting. That's when Raymond Jordan, a civilian with a permit to carry a gun, ran outside and shot Bowman, who is now in stable condition.
“My only regret, I don't want to be bitter," Jordan told WSB-TV. "My only regret, I didn't kill him."
Jordan's brother has not been charged with a crime.
Both Bowman and Mixon were charged with felony murder. A third suspect, 23-year-old Tyler Taylor, was charged with disorderly conduct.
WSB-TV spoke to Bowman's aunt, Darlene Buhlinger, who offered her condolences to the Jordan family.
"That's somebody’s son, [somebody's] daddy," Buhlinger said. "I mean, I don’t even know what to feel. I'm so sorry for that family."
The Griffin Police Department is now mourning the loss of one of their own.
“We request that you keep the Jordan family in your prayers and thoughts as well as our local law enforcement community," the department said in a statement. "Officer Jordan will be greatly missed.”
Funeral arrangements for Jordan will be announced Monday by his family, who had previously looked forward to the high school graduation of one of Jordan's seven children.
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