Family of teen killed by Henry police retains civil rights lawyers

article A framed portrait and floral tributes mark a roadside memorial along Highway 138 in Stockbridge as loved ones gather to demand justice for 16-year-old Tyrie Howse after he was shot and killed by a Henry County police officer on November 7, 2026 (Cred Expand The Brief The family of 16-year-old Tyrie Howse hired civil rights attorneys in Stockbridge after a Henry County police officer fatally shot him. Witnesses say the unarmed Woodland High School honor roll student was shot in the back while running away outside a Krispy Kreme. Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents say Howse ran with a handgun, and county officials note the probe could take several months. HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - The family of 16-year-old Tyrie Howse has hired civil rights attorneys Harry Daniels and Gerald Griggs to demand answers after a Henry County police officer shot and killed the teenager while he ran away near a Stockbridge doughnut shop. What we know: The shooting happened Nov. 3 near the Krispy Kreme at 120 Highway 138 W., sparking intense community outrage and conflicting accounts of what led up to the fatal encounter. Howse was a 16-year-old Black junior and honor roll student at Woodland High School who planned to become a pediatric nurse, according to a family press release. At a vigil Saturday, friends and family released balloons to remember the teen. "Why did you put that innocent young child in harm’s way?" a family friend asked during the gathering. Conflicting witness and GBI accounts Witnesses said Howse was not armed and was shot in the back while running away from officers, according to the family's legal team. "This was a good kid with a bright future," Daniels said. "He was 16 years old, and he wasn’t a threat to anyone. But this officer stole everything he was and everything he was going to be, tearing a hole in this family that will never be filled," Daniels added. "It’s heartbreaking, it’s infuriating and we won’t stop until justice is served." However, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation stated that a Henry County police officer initially approached Howse and a 17-year-old in the Krispy Kreme parking lot. Investigators said the older teen handed a handgun to Howse after the officer told the 17-year-old to take his hands out of his pockets. Howse then ran, and the officer chased him and fired after Howse did not drop the gun, according to the GBI. Agents said a gun was recovered at the scene. Henry County Police Department officials requested an independent GBI investigation immediately after the Nov. 3 shooting and placed the officer on administrative leave. County officials said the investigation could take several months to complete. RELATED Probe into fatal shooting of Henry County teen may take months Family honors aspiring nurse killed in Henry County police shooting What we don't know: Authorities have not publicly identified the officer involved in the shooting or explained what initially prompted the officer to approach the two teenagers. Henry County officials also have not provided a timeline for releasing body-worn camera footage or other evidence, noting those materials are part of the active investigation. The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a press release issued on behalf of Tyrie Howse's family by attorneys Harry Daniels and Gerald Griggs, who shared witness accounts and the family's demands for transparency, as well as statements from Henry County officials and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation detailing the ongoing probe. Henry County Crime and Public Safety News