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Officer cleared

• The police officer who shot a man attempting to rob a Tifton grocery store could return to work next week, police officials said.

J.D. Sumner

TIFTON — The actions of an officer who shot a bandit who took a 16-year-old grocery store clerk hostage during an armed robbery were appropriate, GBI investigators say.

Dorminey McCrae, an officer with the Tifton Police Department, has been on paid administrative leave since shooting Craig Plymel in the head Monday night during the armed robbery of a Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Tifton.

Plymel, who remains in critical condition at the Medical Center of Central Georgia, walked into the store around 9 p.m. armed with a .45-caliber handgun and took a female clerk hostage, police officials said.

Friday, the GBI said they had completed their investigation into McCrae’s use of force and that they have determined that McCrae’s actions were within the bounds of Georgia law.

“Nothing in our investigation has indicated any wrongdoing on the part of any officers involved,” GBI Special Agent-in-Charge Mike Lewis said.

Lewis said agents are preparing the investigative packet for presentation to Tifton Judicial Circuit District Attorney Paul Bowden, who will decide whether to take it to a grand jury or to officially end the investigation.

“I would prefer not to speculate on that without having gone through the information,” Bowden said. “I know what I’ve been told, but I haven’t interviewed anyone firsthand and haven’t seen the information from the GBI.”

Tifton Police Chief Jim Smith said Friday that McCrae would likely return to work Wednesday.

“We’re glad it’s over and that our police officer was vindicated,” Smith said.

Plymel was the only person injured in the incident.

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