Spalding Deputy Recounts Shooting

GRIFFIN, Ga. (MyFOX Atlanta) - A Spalding County Deputy who was shot and critically injured while responding to a suicide attempt in Griffin said Tuesday that he's lucky to be alive, thankful that he's not paralyzed and optimistic that he's going to be ok.

Deputy Joe Buice, the former Lamar County sheriff who has been with the Spalding department for just six months, still has a bullet lodged in his neck from the shooting last Friday.

He goes back to the doctor on Thursday to see if it can be removed, and how much damage was done to facial nerves which are causing his face to droop. He said he plans to return to work.

Buice said the bullet went through his car before it grazed his skull, went through his ear and into his neck. Michael Stringer had armor-piercing bullets, and Buice said the police handguns were no match for the assailant’s two AK-47s.

Buice and two other officers were at the door of the East McIntosh Road residence around 4:30 p.m. Friday and heard a dog barking inside. When the dog stopped barking, the officers knew something was wrong and ran for cover, Buice said.

The man came out of the house firing the rifles, Buice said. Police later shot and killed Stringer, 38, who also injured a woman who was driving by when a bullet struck her car.