Tragedy struck Spalding County when Sergeant Marc McIntyre, a 55-year-old deputy with the Spalding County Sheriff's Office, was fatally shot in the line of duty during a welfare check on Friday. Sgt. McIntyre was not only a law enforcement officer but also a military veteran and educator who served the Sheriff’s Office for over eight years. He was reportedly responding with another deputy to a domestic call at the time he was killed, according to FOX5 Atlanta.
Sgt. Marc McIntyre of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office paid the ultimate sacrifice today. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family, both blood & blue, friends, and the community he served.
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) December 30, 2023
May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/3YpZEwiPaq
The suspect, identified as 57-year-old Todd Harper, opened fire on the deputies as they approached his residence along Vineyard Road. Sgt. McIntyre was shot in the head and later succumbed to his injuries, while his partner suffered a broken hand, as reported by 11Alive.
Harper, the accused shooter, was a military veteran himself who had previously exhibited mental health issues. Sheriff Dix expressed frustration about the circumstances leading to the incident, criticizing family members for not seeking help sooner for Harper. "If you're going to get on TV and say it, then you should've got him some help before it got to the point TV stations had to show up because something had happened," said Dix, as per 11Alive.
