Former Memphis Tigers football player La’Andre Thomas was shot and killed by police in Sandy Springs, Georgia, on Dec. 4, 2025, following a confrontation that authorities say began with an assault report and ended with Thomas pulling a handgun from his waistband. He was 27 years old.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), officers from the Sandy Springs Police Department responded to a 911 call at approximately 10:30 a.m. in the Dunwoody Place area. A woman reported that a man had assaulted her while she was walking her dog in the neighborhood north of Atlanta.
Officers obtained a description of the suspect from the caller and reviewed security camera footage from the surrounding area to identify him. Police located Thomas at a nearby MARTA bus stop and approached him to discuss the incident.
During the encounter, Thomas engaged in conversation with the officers before the situation escalated. “During the conversation, Thomas pulled a handgun from his waistband,” the GBI stated in a press release. In response, one officer discharged his weapon, striking Thomas and injuring him.
Emergency medical personnel transported Thomas to a local hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition. He was pronounced dead at the facility later that same day. No officers sustained injuries during the incident, according to law enforcement reports.
The GBI has taken over the case and is conducting an independent investigation into the shooting. “Once the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for review,” the GBI said. Thomas’ body was sent to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
Thomas was a native of Jackson, Mississippi, where he attended Wingfield High School before beginning his college football career. He joined the Memphis Tigers in 2017 and played as a defensive back through the 2019 season.
Over three seasons with the program, Thomas appeared in 30 games total and recorded 80 tackles along with two interceptions during his collegiate career. His most productive season came in 2019 when he started all 14 games for the Tigers. An injury significantly limited his playing time in 2018, restricting him to just four games that year.
The defensive back’s college career spanned from 2017 to 2019, during which he established himself as a consistent presence in the Memphis secondary. His time with the program coincided with competitive seasons for the Tigers football team in the American Athletic Conference.
Following news of Thomas’ death, a GoFundMe campaign was established to support his daughter, Laila. The fundraising effort aims to provide financial assistance for funeral expenses and long-term support for his child, including counseling services to help her cope with the loss of her father.
The fundraiser acknowledges that details surrounding Thomas’ death remain unclear to the family. Organizers noted that Thomas’ relatives are seeking legal representation to pursue what they describe as justice and accountability in the case. The family expressed their intention to obtain access to body camera footage, investigation findings, and other information related to the incident.
The GoFundMe description emphasized the impact of Thomas’ death on those close to him, stating that funds would help cover legal and administrative expenses as the family pushes for transparency in the investigation.
Officer-involved shootings in Georgia are routinely investigated by the state bureau to provide an independent review of the circumstances. These investigations examine whether the use of force was justified under state law and department policy. The findings are then presented to local prosecutors who determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
The Sandy Springs Police Department, located in one of Atlanta’s northern suburbs, has cooperated with the GBI investigation. Standard protocol in such cases typically includes placing involved officers on administrative leave pending the outcome of the inquiry, though officials have not publicly commented on personnel decisions related to this incident.
As the investigation continues, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office will ultimately review all evidence gathered by the GBI before making any prosecutorial decisions. The timeline for completing such reviews varies depending on the complexity of the case and the amount of evidence requiring analysis.