The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has initiated a probe into a police shooting in Bartow County that left a man injured, according to an official statement. The incident, which took place in Adairsville, has heightened community concerns regarding law enforcement and use of force.
On the night of September 2, 2024, amidst an unsettling domestic dispute, police were called to a residence on Barnsley Village Drive following a disrupted 911 call. A woman initially dialed the emergency services before the call was cut short, succeeded by James Lee Rourks, 42, assuring the operator that the situation was under control. Rourks' wife, however, informed officers of a differing narrative upon their arrival, pointing out that her husband was armed and a domestic dispute had unfolded. With Adairsville Police Department on the scene, the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office arrived anticipating a standoff with a possible gunman.
Entering the home, deputies were confronted by Rourks who refused to adhere to their commands. This tense standoff precipitated the shooting, resulting in injuries to Rourks, though none to law enforcement personnel. Rourks was subsequently transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening wounds. In relation to the altercation, charges of aggravated assault by strangulation and interference with a 911 call have been lodged against him by the Adairsville Police Department.
The independent investigation led by the GBI aims to shed light on the series of events that culminated in the use of a firearm by a deputy. Once the investigation is completed, the findings will be handed over to the Bartow County District Attorney's Office for a thorough examination of the case. This procedure strives to maintain objectivity and transparency in the aftermath of such a critical incident.
Community members in Bartow County and beyond are keeping watchful eyes as this investigation progresses. The importance of this independent review cannot be understated, as it seeks to answer the pressing questions surrounding the encounter between James Lee Rourks and law enforcement, and the decisions that led to the discharge of a gun by an officer.
