COVINGTON, Ga. – Covington police arrested two men, one with a gun, early Thursday morning after responding to a report of suspicious subjects at a Washington Street business.

According to a CPD incident report, officers were dispatched to L&B Recycling at 3:16 a.m. Dec 14 on a report that three males who appeared to be intoxicated had gone into the trucking yard. The complainant told officers the men had attempted to enter his truck.

While speaking with the complainant, Officer Travis Pierce saw one of the men walking in the roadway on Washington Street headed south toward Porterdale. Pierce and Officer Rory Barber went to make contact with the men.

As the officers drove toward the men, one of them, later identified as 24-year-old Corey Roberson, stepped into the roadway. 

“It appeared that Roberson realized that my vehicle was a police vehicle shortly after stepping into the roadway and immediately turned around and his right hand went into his waistband,” Pierce reported. “I stepped out, drew my pistol and ordered Roberson to show me his hands.”

According to the report, Roberson, who had a liquor bottle in his left hand put his hands up and then lowered his right hand and reached into his waistband. Pierce gave orders for Roberson to show his hands, which he reportedly ignored then raised his hands again.

Another subject, later identified as Gregory Thomas of Covington, was in the roadway with Roberson. According to the report, Thomas was given commands to come back toward officers and show his hands. 

Thomas reportedly reached into his jacket pocket and was given more commands to show his hands. He complied and was handcuffed without incident.

According to the report, Pierce continued to give Roberson commands and he again reached his right hand into his waistband momentarily before removing it.

Roberson was ordered to face away from officers and keep his hands up. Barber reportedly holstered his weapon and drew his Taser. Roberson reportedly was talking at this time and not listening to commands.

After Thomas was in custody, Pierce ordered Roberson to drop the liquor bottle. Roberson reportedly bent over to place the bottle on the ground and was again ordered to drop the bottle and keep his hands up. As he straightened up, his right hand appeared to go toward his waistband again.

Pierce reported,” I ordered Roberson to put his hands up and go to his knees but he continued to ignore commands. At this point due to Roberson ignoring officer commands numerous times and reaching for his waistband multiple times, I believed Roberson may have a gun in his waistband. I made the decision to take Roberson to the ground in order to gain control of him.”

According to the report, Pierce ran toward Roberson and delivered a kick to Roberson’s back knocking him to the ground.  Pierce held Roberson on the ground, holstered his weapon and placed him in handcuffs.

While searching Roberson, officers located his wallet containing his identification and multiple credit cards with faint numbers and lettering on them. He was placed in Pierce’s patrol car and transported to the Newton County Jail.

Thomas was reportedly a suspect in a shoplifting incident from earlier in the night. According to the report, the liquor bottle Roberson was holding matched the bottle that was stolen.

Thomas was placed in Officer Pokey Daniel’s patrol car and transported to the jail. According to the report, it was determined he had an active warrant for his arrest out of Cobb County. While en route to the jail, Thomas reportedly told Daniels that Roberson had a gun on him and possibly threw it.

“Thomas stated that Roberson was reaching for this gun when approached by officers and Thomas was telling Roberson not to grab the gun,” according to the report.

When they arrived at the jail, Roberson reportedly told Pierce he had a pistol in his boot.

“I checked Roberson’s boot and located a Ruger 9mm pistol wrapped in his pants which were bunched up in his boots,” Pierce reported. “It appeared the pistol had fallen into Roberson’s boot when I took him to the ground.”

Roberson was charged with obstruction of law enforcement officers, crossing a guard line with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon without a license and public drunkenness.

Thomas was booked into the jail on the jail on shoplifting charge as well as the active warrant out of Cobb County.