Citizen volunteer shot during North Fulton SWAT training, lawsuit alleges

A woman who says she volunteered as a citizen “role player” in a North Fulton SWAT training exercise is suing the cities of Roswell, Alpharetta and Milton, claiming an officer slammed her against a wall and shot her in the stomach with a rubber bullet.

Lindsay Hooten said in an Aug. 22 lawsuit that she was given a helmet to wear during the training exercise at a house near Cumming on Sept. 13, 2022, but offered no other protective gear. She said she was not warned that officers may physically handle her or discharge their weapons at or near her during the training, which was “to effectively resolve a complex emergency hostage rescue scenario.”

“While moving through the building, an officer grabbed Ms. Hooten and threw her against a wall, injuring her back,” the lawsuit states. “That same officer then pointed a firearm at Ms. Hooten and shot her in the stomach with a rubber or training bullet, injuring her abdomen.”

Hooten alleged that she immediately complained about her injuries to the officers, who did not offer to provide her with any medical assistance. She was “left to get in her car and drive herself home while injured,” the complaint states.

Hooten’s lawsuit, filed in the Fulton County State Court, alleges the three cities were negligent. Roswell, Alpharetta and Milton police officers serve on the North Fulton Special Weapons And Tactics, or S.W.A.T., unit.

“These officers come together as North Fulton S.W.A.T. to handle critical incidents,” Roswell’s police webpage states. “North Fulton S.W.A.T. ensures specially trained and equipped personnel are immediately available to all three jurisdictions, which is critical in emergency situations.”

A spokesperson for Alpharetta said Tuesday the city had not been served notice of the case, and that it does not comment on “any pending or speculative legal actions,” in accordance with policy and the guidance of legal counsel. Representatives for Roswell and Milton said the cities do not comment on pending litigation.

Hooten said she notified the cities of her claims in a November 2022 letter, as required by Georgia law. The letter states in part that Hooten seeks $500,000 for medical costs, pain and suffering, mental anguish and lost earnings. It asks that any recordings of the training exercise be preserved.

The lawsuit includes a negligence claim against the Roswell officer who Hooten says was in charge of the training. She said the officer emailed three Roswell employees on Aug. 29, 2022 asking for “recruits or interns” to volunteer as “role players” in the training exercise.

Days later, Hooten said she was recruited to volunteer as a role player by a Milton sergeant. She said she was instructed by officers during the training to enter the house, before multiple officers entered the building.

“Prior to being slammed against the wall and shot in the stomach, Ms. Hooten did not know she would be subjected to such hazardous conditions and she lacked knowledge that any such hazardous conditions or behaviors may involve her,” the lawsuit states.

Hooten’s attorneys, Zachary Shewmaker and Jarrett Miller, did not respond to questions about the case.

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