On August 14, 2019 at approximately 8:52pm, Deputies of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a suicidal man with a gun sitting in a vehicle at Wyomia Tyus Park. When Deputies arrived, they located the vehicle and found it occupied by a white male fitting the description that they had been given. While crossing the parking lot on foot, they began clearing the men, women, and children that were using the recreation facility away from the area to keep them out of any potential danger. When they got to the vehicle’s side window to talk to him, he raised his handgun, and fired a shot. The Deputies retreated and fired rounds at the suspect. The suspect was pronounced dead on the scene by Spalding County Coroner Sonny Foster’s Office.
According to Sheriff Darrell Dix, “We immediately notified the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, they responded to the scene, and are conducting the investigation into this incident. I also contacted District Attorney Ben Coker who personally responded to the scene along with his investigators. There were multiple witnesses to the incident who have been interviewed, and it was also captured on body cam. The names of the Deputies involved, and the suspect will be released by the GBI as the investigation continues.”
“We always want to make the attempt to de-escalate these situations, however in incidents such as what these Deputies faced last night, the suspect did not allow that to happen. Based on his sudden actions and what the Deputies saw, it forced them to make a split-second decision, contain the incident, and protect the people in the park and themselves.”
Any further questions regarding this incident should be directed to Public Information Officer Nellie Miles at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (404)-270-8330.
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