The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is currently looking into an officer-involved shooting in Townsend, McIntosh County. The incident occurred early in the morning and left 75-year-old Allen Barrett injured. The GBI's involvement follows a request from the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office and aims to provide an independent overview of the events that transpired. Details have been shared through a GBI press release.
According to the GBI, the initial call that led to the eventual shooting was placed around 5:20 a.m. Barrett contacted the Wiregrass E911 Communication Center from his residence on Woodstork Dr. NE, expressing suicidal thoughts. McIntosh County Deputies responded to the call and found Barrett on his porch, armed with a gun. The situation escalated when Barrett discharged the firearm towards the deputies. The deputies then retaliated, one of them shooting Barrett, who is now hospitalized and in stable condition.
The GBI has taken the helm of the ongoing investigation, assessing the sequence of events and the deputies' response. Throughout this process, the Bureau remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates as the case progresses. The objective findings from GBI's investigation will later be reviewed by the Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, ensuring that all aspects of the shooting are thoroughly examined.
