Evan Stratton

Name:
Stratton, Evan Jacob

Date of Booking:
07/09/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Battery – Family Violence (1st Offense) (M)

Aggravated Assault

TERRORISTIC THREATS AND ACTS

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on July 09, 2026]

On Thursday, July 9, 2026 I was dispatched to 2221 Shorter Ave (Circle-K) in reference to a meet in person call. Dispatch advised that a female at the gas station was very upset and had told employees that unknown people were after her.

Upon my arrival I made contact with the female who was identified as Ms [VICTIM #1]. I observed that she appeared to be very scared and distraught. Ms [VICTIM #1] kept glancing toward the doorway and hiding behind officers and merchandise when she saw any vehicles outside. She also appeared to have been crying recently and was shaking. She advised that she had been in an altercation with her husband, Mr Evan Stratton, that evening. She was already speaking with PFC Taylor upon my arrival and showing him a voice recording on her phone. In the recording I heard the following conversation:

Mr Stratton: “I’m gonna get away from your little h*e a*s, on God.”
Ms [VICTIM #1]: “Are you gonna shoot me?”
Mr Stratton: “Yeah, on God, you’re gonna get flamed too. Just like we did buddy’s a*s.”

PFC Taylor asked Ms [VICTIM #1] if the male Mr Stratton was referring to the recording was [REDACTED] and she asked if we knew of [REDACTED]. Ms [VICTIM #1] advised that she was afraid to tell officers what had happened that evening because Mr Stratton and his friends known to be involved in multiple shooting that had occurred in Rome. At that time employees advised me that they had witnessed a black car drive past the business two or three times since Ms [VICTIM #1] had arrived. They stated that a male who frequented the store had exited the vehicle on the last pass and attempted to speak with Ms [VICTIM #1] in the doorway.

They advised they told him to leave and brought her inside to wait for law enforcement. Employees showed me surveillance footage of the vehicle and the male. The vehicle was a black four door car. I recognized the male who exited the passenger seat as Mr [WITNESS #1] from previous calls I had responded to involving him. I also knew from past calls with that Mr Stratton and Mr [WITNESS #1] were friends and Mr Stratton was frequently at Mr [WITNESS #1] apartment.

At that time I asked Ms [VICTIM #1] to tell me what had happened that evening. She stated that she and some friends had gone to Alabama earlier that day to go swimming. She stated that Mr Stratton had shown up as well with his friends. She advised that once they returned to Georgia they were over on Tamassee Ln when they began having a verbal argument about cheating in the relationship. She stated that during this time Mr Stratton had struck her repeatedly on the back of her head with closed fists. I observed a red swollen area to her left cheek bone.

I asked her if it could be a sunburn from swimming and she stated no that the injury was from Mr Stratton striking her. I photographed the injury and uploaded the image to evidence.com. Ms [VICTIM #1] stated at that time she asked Mr Stratton to drop her off at the Circle-K. While en route she stated that Mr Stratton brandished a firearm at her multiple times and held it to her head while threatening to shoot her. She stated that was when she had recorded the above conversation in a voice note to her mother. I also provided Ms [VICTIM #1] with a link to evidence.com to upload the audio recording. Ms [VICTIM #1] stated that no one else was in the vehicle at that time.

I asked Ms [VICTIM #1] to describe the firearm and she stated that it looked similar to my police issued Glock firearm but it had a larger barrel. She was uncertain of whether the larger part of the gun was the barrel or an extended magazine. I then asked if she and Mr Stratton shared locations via their phones. She advised that they did and showed me his current location on her phone. Mr Stratton’s location at the time of report was at [60 BLOCK] Lyons Dr in the area of the F building and that he had been there for approximately 12 minutes at that point.

I advised PFC Taylor to go over to that area and watch for Mr Stratton. He informed me that a black car registered to Mr Stratton’s mother was parked in the lot outside the F building. I knew that he had a known associate, Mr [WITNESS #1], who lived at [60 BLOCK] Lyons Dr in apartment [REDACTED]. At that time Mr Stratton also called Ms [VICTIM #1] and she spoke to him over speaker phone and he confirmed he was at Mr [WITNESS #1]’s apartment and saw the police outside the building. He made statements to Ms [VICTIM #1] asking how she could call the police on him and stating that he would tell officers the truth and get her arrested. I advised Ms [VICTIM #1] to wait at the Circle-K for her ride home while officers attempted to make contact with Mr Stratton.

I then met with other officers on Lyons Dr and made contact with Mr Stratton in apartment [REDACTED]. When I asked about what had happened with Ms [VICTIM #1] that evening he stated that he did not know what I was talking about. Mr Stratton was placed under arrest at that time and he was searched for contraband by PFC Gibbs, none was found. He was placed in the rear of squad car 156.

I also made contact with Mr [WITNESS #1] at that time as well. He advised that he did have a firearm and it was under the mattress in his bedroom. PFC Taylor and I were escorted into the apartment by his mother and she showed us the firearm. The firearm matched the description given by Ms [VICTIM #1]. At that time I seized a Glock 22 .40 caliber (serial number: BYL208) and a magazine with eight .40 caliber bullets as evidence. Dispatch ran it through NCIC but it did not have any returns.

Mr [WITNESS #1] stated that only he knew that the firearm was kept under his mattress at the foot of his bed. I asked him what had happened that evening and he stated that Mr Stratton and Ms [VICTIM #1] were having a verbal argument. He stated that he called Mr Stratton to pick him up and take him to the store to buy a snack. Upon their arrival he attempted to speak with Ms [VICTIM #1] outside the store but was told to leave by employees. Mr [WITNESS #1] stated that he and Mr Stratton returned to his residence at that time.

Officers Zenga, Tanner, and Taylor also searched Mr Stratton’s vehicle (Tag: [REDACTED]) at that time. PFC Tanner advised that he found an empty .40 caliber magazine in the glove box of Mr Stratton’s vehicle. It was also seized as evidence and placed into the temporary evidence room at the Rome Police Department along with the firearm and other magazine.

I then spoke with Mr Stratton, he confirmed that he had been read his Miranda Rights by PFC Gibbs and that he was willing to speak with me. He stated that he and Ms [VICTIM #1] were attempting a final time to make their marriage work. He stated that he had cheated and they were having a verbal argument about infidelity. He stated that she became very upset and struck him in the face. Both PFC Gibbs and I looked for any sign of injury to his face, neither of us saw any marks, redness, swelling, or other sign of injury.

PFC Gibbs photographed his face and uploaded the images to evidence.com. Mr Stratton went on to state that Ms [VICTIM #1] had a history of being violent toward him during arguments but stated that he had not made any reports when it occurred. He advised that he had not struck her or had a firearm at any time that evening. Mr Stratton also stated that he had text messages on his phone proving that Ms [VICTIM #1] was the aggressor but advised that he was unwilling to show law enforcement at that time.

At that time I transported Mr Stratton to the Floyd County Jail where he was booked for aggravated assault FVA, battery FVA, and terroristic threats FVA. PFC Taylor returned to the Circle-K and provided the employees with a link to evidence.com to upload the surveillance footage of the incident. He also provided Ms [VICTIM #1] with a Victim’s Rights Brochure and completed the Victim Notification form.

PFC Taylor later informed me that when speaking with Ms [VICTIM #1] she had stated that Mr [WITNESS #1] had called her while officers were on scene at Lyons Dr and made statements about getting his friend arrested. She advised that he had not made any direct threats toward her at that time but she was afraid that Mr Stratton’s friends would retaliate. PFC Taylor also advised her of TPO procedures at that time.

Later that evening, upon my return to duty, I was advised that Ms [WITNESS #2] wanted a phone call in reference to her sons arrest. I contacted her via phone and she stated that Ms [VICTIM #1] had sent her messages that day about the incident with Mr Stratton. Ms [WITNESS #2] stated that Ms [VICTIM #1] had a history of being violent toward her son by striking him and damaging his property. She stated that no one had contacted law enforcement at the time of those incidents though.

She stated that Ms [VICTIM #1] had sent her text messages stating that she had not called 911, that she had lied to officers, and that she wanted to drop the charges. When asked if those messages were still on her phone Ms [WITNESS #2] stated that they not because Ms [VICTIM #1] had deleted all of her messages in the conversation. She advised that Mr Stratton’s friend, Mr [WITNESS #3], had witnessed the incident and provided his contact information.

I contacted Mr [WITNESS #3] via phone and he advised that he, Ms [WITNESS #4], and Mr [WITNESS #5] had all gone swimming that evening with Ms [VICTIM #1] and Mr Stratton. He stated that on the way home [Ms] [VICTIM #1] and Mr Stratton had been in a verbal argument. He stated that Mr Stratton had attempted to defuse the situation by ignoring Ms [VICTIM #1]. This upset her more and she began yelling and making threats to hit him and damage his property.

Mr [WITNESS #3] advised that the incident had not become physical at any time. He also stated that he had been dropped off prior to incident with Mr Stratton and Ms [VICTIM #1] in the vehicle on the way to Circle-K. I attempted to contact both Ms [WITNESS #4] and Mr [WITNESS #5] by phone as well and was unsuccessful.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on July 09, 2026]

On Thursday, July 9th, 2026, at approximately 04:23 hours I, Officer Gibbs, responded to [60 BLOCK] Lyons Dr APT [REDACTED] to assist in apprehending Evan Stratton, a suspect that is known to carry firearms. On scene I was informed we had verifiable information he was in the apartment and that he is being charged with Aggravated Assault which is a forcible felony. I was asked to cover Officer Oney while she attempted to make contact. As she knocked on the door, I had my department issued Glock 17 [BNME679] drawn. When the door opened, Evan visibly reacted to the sight of it and put his hands up.

Once I realized he was unarmed and cooperating, I holstered my weapon and assisted in putting him in handcuffs. I then escorted him to the rear passenger compartment of Officer Oney’s patrol unit where I read him his Miranda warning. He alleged the female in the case had struck him and denied any wrongdoing in the incident. He recounted an argument they had while traveling in his vehicle, so he dropped her off at the Circle K located near the intersection of Shorter Ave and Coosawattee Ave.

He claimed to have a small scratch underneath his left eye, which was not visible. I took a photograph and uploaded it to Axon Evidence system.

He also stated she struck him in front of [WITNESS #5]. I asked dispatch to have county check his listed address, however they were unable to make contact at this time.

See Officer Oney’s primary narrative for further details.

[End of Narrative]