Convicted sex offender shot, killed by police with 11-year-old kidnap victim in car: officials

Police said 38-year-old rammed officers with vehicle before fatal shooting

Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Man shot, killed by police with kidnap victim in car: officials
Knox County, Tennessee and Catoosa County, Georgia police found Edward Ahran with an 11-year-old girl, police said. The girl was not harmed.

CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. -- A convicted sex offender who had kidnapped an 11-year-old girl from Tennessee was fatally shot by police in Georgia, and the girl was rescued last week, local officials said.

An 11-year-old Knoxville, Tennessee girl was reported missing and in danger last Tuesday, WTVC reported.

Early Friday morning, deputies found her on a ramp off a Georgia highway.

The Catoosa County, Georgia Sheriff's Office said 38-year-old Edward Ahran met the girl online.

Video shows police surrounding the vehicle, with the Catoosa County man and 11-year-old girl inside.

Police said when they confronted the suspect, he began ramming his car into theirs, hitting three Knox County, Tennessee officers.

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Four deputies opened fire, shooting and killing the suspect.

The girl was not harmed, police said.

This was not Ahran's first encounter with law enforcement.

He was on the Georgia sex offender registry for a 2008 conviction of sexual exploitation of children.

Georgia Department of Corrections records show he was sentenced to 20 years, but got out in 2018.

Court documents show he also pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and assault charges in 2003, and got 10 years probation.

All the deputies involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave.