A Georgia police officer was placed on administrative leave after he was captured picking up a man and slamming him to the ground inside a Walmart.

The incident unfolded when police received a report of a man causing a disturbance inside the Walmart in Lovejoy, Ga. — about 20 miles outside Atlanta — at around 8 p.m. on Saturday, Lovejoy Police Chief Steve Wright told Fox 5 Atlanta.

The 20-second distressing clip showed the officer holding the man’s arms behind his back in the electronics section, exchanging words briefly before grabbing him around the chest, hoisting him into the air and slamming him to the ground.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was then rushed to a nearby hospital and will not be facing any charges, Wright told the outlet.

It remains unclear what condition the man was in after being taken to the hospital.

A witness told Fox 5 Atlanta that the officer shocked everyone who watched the incident unfold.

“The officer just lifted him up, and to everyone’s surprise, BAM! Slammed him to the ground, and you could hear the impact to the floor,” the witness, identified only as Ms. DeeDee, said.

“I thought he was dead, everybody thought he died, clocked out,” she said, adding that she believes the cop should be fired over his use of force.

On Sunday, the Lovejoy Police Department said that the officer was placed on administrative leave “pending investigation.”

“The City of Lovejoy Police Department is aware of a video circulating on social media depicting an incident involving one of its officers at a Walmart location,” officials said. “The video appears to show an officer engaged in a physical encounter with an individual whose hands appear to be positioned behind his back. The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under review.

Officials said that it has started an administrative review of the incident.

“The City of Lovejoy Police Department recognizes the community’s interest in this matter and remains committed to transparency, accountability and public safety.”

The probe will dig into incident reports, witness statements and departmental policies and training, the department said, promising “a fair, objective, and timely review.”

Fluellyn also confirmed that the matter was being investigated.

“We want you to know that we are investigating the incident and will share the results of the investigation,” she wrote. “Transparency resides in Lovejoy!”

Chief Wright told Fox 5 Atlanta he anticipates concluding the internal investigation by the end of the week.

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Officials battling two large wildfires that have destroyed dozens of homes in southern Georgia warned Tuesday that firefighters are bracing for a prolonged battle even after weekend rains gave a big boost to containment efforts.

“A little bit of rain is going to help us, but it’s not going to get us out of this situation,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told a news conference after touring the fire areas Tuesday. “We’re going to be in this for a while.”

A fire that has burned roughly 35 square miles (90 square kilometers) and destroyed more than 80 homes in rural Brantley County was 32% contained, the command team overseeing the fire response said Tuesday. That’s up from just 6% containment reported Monday.

Rains on Sunday slowed the fire enough to give crews an opening to widen containment lines along the perimeter and to snuff out some smoldering pockets, said Johnny Sabo, director of the Georgia Forestry Commission.

“As that number increases, our confidence at holding it in that footprint increases,” Sabo told reporters. He added: “We have a long way to go. I just want to stress that.”

A larger wildfire in sparsely populated Clinch and Echols counties has charred more than 50 square miles (130 square kilometers) at the Georgia-Florida line. Sabo said crews have held that fire to roughly the same footprint for four days. It was considered 23% contained Tuesday.

One home and several dozen sheds and other smaller structures were destroyed, said Don Thomas, a Georgia Forestry Commission spokesperson.

An unusually large number of wildfires are burning this spring across the Southeast. Scientists say the threat of fire has been amplified by a combination of extreme drought, gusty winds, climate change and dead trees and other vegetation.

No fire injuries or deaths have been reported in Georgia. A volunteer firefighter in Nassau County, Florida, died last week after suffering an unspecified medical emergency while suppressing a brush fire.

Progress made against the Brantley County blaze prompted local officials to lift evacuation orders Monday for roughly 1,500 people who had fled their homes. About 2,500 remained displaced, said Susan Heisey, a spokesperson for the fire command team.

Local officials have warned people returning home to be prepared to evacuate again if necessary.

Both Georgia fires ignited as the state’s worst drought in two decades has rendered vast pine forests and swampy lowlands tinder dry and highly combustible.

Investigators concluded the Brantley County fire began April 20 when a foil balloon touched a power line, creating an electrical arc that set the ground ablaze. The fire in Clinch and Echols counties started April 18 by a falling spark as a man was welding a gate, according to state officials.

Forecasts showed a high chance of more rain over the fires this weekend. There’s also a possibility of thunderstorms, which can produce lightning that causes new fires.

Officials haven’t said how long the Georgia fires might burn, only that it will take significant rainfall to extinguish them.

Sabo noted that a vast fire sparked by lightning in the nearby Okefenokee Swamp in 2011 burned for just shy of a year.

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Revenue will begin issuing tax rebate payments in early May to residents across the state.

Millions of dollars headed to Georgia taxpayers

What we know:

The state is distributing $1.2 billion in cash from a $14 billion surplus. According to the Georgia Department of Revenue, single filers will receive $250, while heads of households will get $375. Married couples filing jointly are set to receive $500. Governor Brian Kemp signed off on these rebates in March, marking the fourth year the state has returned cash to the people.

To be eligible for the money, you must have paid taxes during the qualifying years. Most people should see the funds arrive as early as May 1. The money will be delivered the same way you received your tax refund, which for most Georgians is through a check in the mail or a direct deposit.

What we don’t know:

While the state says payments begin in early May, the specific date an individual taxpayer can expect to see their funds in their bank account or mailbox is not yet clear.

Expert advice on using your rebate

What they’re saying:

Professor Usha Rackliffe of Emory University’s Goizuetta Business School says taxpayers should use the money mindfully. “This is not life-changing money,” Rackliffe said. “But it’s still amazing. You have to treat it like found money.” She suggests splitting the cash into two “buckets”: one to pay your future self by handling high-interest debt or investing, and another to pay your current self by doing something fun, like going to dinner or the movies.

Tracking your rebate status

What you can do:

If you want to track your payment, you can check the status of your cash on the state’s website.