The Georgia State Patrol trooper who shot and killed a man who was allegedly threatening his life is back at work.

Although the internal investigation into the May shooting death of 33-year-old Timothy Steven Morris continues, the trooper returned to work five days after the shooting, which is standard policy, according to state patrol spokesman Gordy Wright.

"An administrative leave is routine following a critical incident such as this," Wright said in an email.
Wright has previously called the lawman involved, who graduated trooper school in 2008, a "good trooper."

The incident that led to Morris' death started when the convicted felon who had outstanding warrants in three counties, fled from the trooper when he attempted a traffic stop on Gum Creek Road by the Walton/Newton County line.

Morris fled on foot into the woods off Lobhaugh Lane in Newton County. When Morris was stopped in the woods by the trooper, he allegedly put his hands in his pockets and told the officer "I have a gun, I'll kill you," and then made a sudden movement, at which time he was shot by the trooper. He died at Newton Medical Center. No gun was found on him, but he did have knives, Wright said in a previous story.