DALTON — A Whitfield County deputy who shot a man accused of murdering a woman in Resaca last week has been cleared of any wrongdoing and has returned to duty.

Shannon Ramsey, who Major John Gibson called a “veteran officer” with the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, was back at work on Wednesday after spending a few days on administrative leave with pay.

Ramsey was one of the officers who wounded Paul Buchannon, 36, on July 29 after the four-hour manhunt ended near a Gordon County church just below the Whitfield County line. The shooting occurred when Buchannon failed to drop his gun as ordered, but instead pointed it toward officers.

Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston said after the arrest that two officers shot Buchannon when he was confronted.

Buchannon is alleged to have shot two teenagers — the son and nephew of Christy McKnight — around 6 p.m. and then killed McKnight later after fleeing to Hill City, where he left her on the railroad track just north of the tiny railside community. He is charged with murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault and firearms violations.

Whitfield deputies, the Georgia Aviation Authority and the state Department of Corrections had been asked to assist the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. A DOC bloodhound located Buchannon hiding in a wooded area just before 10 p.m.

“In this case, seeing how the GBI had jurisdiction in the investigation, we contacted the GBI Monday and verified with them if there was going to be any difficulty or any problems with his actions during the incident, and they relayed to us that their investigation didn’t show any wrongdoing on his part,” said Gibson.

A spokeswoman with Erlanger Hospital said Wednesday that Buchannon’s condition had been placed under “confidential status,” but other media outlets are reporting he is in critical condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

A visit to a local firing range for “requalification” in deadly force training was required for Ramsey to return to duty, Gibson added, as well as seeing a psychologist.

“That’s just the process that everybody goes through that’s involved in a shooting,” he said.

Ramsey’s reinstatement status would not change even if Buchannon died, Gibson added.

Before joining the sheriff’s office, Ramsey worked for the Dalton Police Department.