The father of a Gambian man killed by US police says his “son was a very pious and disciplined young man whose life was cut short brutally.”

Momodou Lamin Sisay was killed on Saturday morning in an incident involving police in Snellville, Georgia, according to local media.

His father Lare Sisay, a retired UN diplomat, said his son was never in trouble with the law and was against violence. 

“I spoke to him just a few days ago. He’s a very pious somebody, goes to the mosque and prays and even when he was in school, he wasn’t into any sort of trouble that I am aware of,” said Mr Sisay.

“So to say that he has a gun… This is sombody who abhors violence, he does not like violence of any kind.”

According to the US police version of the incident Momodou Lamin Sisay died in a shootout following a police chase.

“The driver of the vehicle took off at full-speed and refused to stop,” Snellville police said. 

“Officers attempted at PIT maneuver on the vehicle, took the vehicle off the roadway.

“The vehicle crashed into the tree line on Temple Johnson Road. Once the vehicle came to a stop, officers approached the car and gave the driver commands but he refused to comply.

“The subject produced a handgun and began firing at the officers. There was an exchange of gunfire,” Snellville police said.

Snellville police called in a SWAT team from Gwinnett County to assist.

“At one point he lifted up his firearm and pointed it at our officers,” Cpl. Michele Pihera with Gwinnett County Police Department said. 

“One of our officers assigned to the SWAT team fired one round.”

Pihera said “right now, they don’t know if that round hit the suspect, but he was later found dead in the car.”