Atlanta man convicted of assaulting Federal Marshals with a motor vehicle

ATLANTA – Shusta Traverse Gumbs has been convicted of two counts of using a motor vehicle to assault members of the U.S. Marshals Services’ Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (SERTF) after he attempted to flee arrest in his vehicle, pinning a Deputy U.S. Marshal with his car in the process.

“Gumbs used his vehicle to pin one of the Deputy Marshals between two cars, resulting in serious injury to the officer,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “He also jeopardized the lives of the remaining arresting officers who were near the defendant’s car during the assault. We are committed to backing our men and women in law enforcement, and will use all of our resources to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who seek to injure our law enforcement partners who work hard to protect us.”     

“Assaulting a federal officer shows a disregard for law and order. We appreciate the hard work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring Gumbs to justice. He was held accountable for this assault by a jury of his peers,” said Keith D. Booker, Chief Inspector, Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, U.S. Marshals Service.

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and evidence presented at trial: On October 21, 2016, the SERFTF sought Gumbs for an active warrant issued by Douglas County, Georgia, Superior Court for failure to appear for the offenses of theft by receiving stolen property, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of marijuana.  SERFTF members saw Gumbs stopped in a black car in a parking lot of a store in the West End neighborhood of Atlanta. 

A deputy entered the parking lot in a car, with another deputy as his passenger.  A third deputy arrived in a van, with two more deputies as his passengers.  Two separate deputies each arrived in separate vehicles. All the officers then converged on Gumbs’ vehicle with the sirens and blue lights of their vehicles engaged and firearms drawn.  Gumbs was ordered to turn off and exit his vehicle. Gumbs suddenly placed his vehicle in reverse and backed up approximately 10 to 15 feet.

One of the deputies then ran to his vehicle to retrieve an expandable baton should it become necessary to break any of the windows of Gumbs’ vehicle.  As that deputy approached Gumbs’ vehicle a second time, Gumbs accelerated his vehicle to force his way past one of the officers’ parked vehicles. As Gumbs did so, he pinned the deputy between the two vehicles, crushing his left thigh, knee, foot, and ankle. Gumbs then fled the West End area at a high rate of speed during heavy traffic, striking a motorist’s vehicle, and running a stop sign and a red traffic light. He eventually abandoned the vehicle and eluded capture until four days later, on October 25, 2016.

Shusta Traverse Gumbs, 39, of the U.S. Virgin Islands, was convicted of two counts of forcibly assaulting, impeding, opposing, resisting, or interfering with four federal officers during the performance of their official duties.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Services’ Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from the Atlanta Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.