An Adairsville man was injured after being shot by a Bartow County Sheriff's deputy during a response to a domestic dispute on Monday evening. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is currently undergoing an investigation into the incident that involved 42-year-old James Lee Rourks.
The situation escalated when a woman's 911 call from a home on Barnsley Village Drive was abruptly terminated. Rourks subsequently called 911 to claim that everything was fine. However, upon arrival at the scene, officers were informed by Rourks' wife of a domestic dispute and alerted to the presence of a firearm. Authorities attempt to carefully diffuse the situation faced by a non-compliant Rourks who had reentered the home, which led to the involvement of the Sheriff's Office to assist with what was described as a "potential barricaded gunman" scenario, as reported by 11Alive.
Upon entering the house, a deputy encountered Rourks and ultimately discharged their weapon, injuring him. The GBI, which did not release specific details about the circumstances leading up to the shooting, confirmed that the injuries were not life-threatening. Rourks was later transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The aftermath of the shooting has left Rourks facing charges of aggravated assault by strangulation and interference with a 911 call. While the GBI's independent inquiry presses forward, it remains unclear whether Rourks was armed at the time of the shooting. Once the GBI's investigation is complete, the case file is expected to be thoroughly reviewed by the Bartow County District Attorney's Office.
