An intense police chase and shooting occurred yesterday across Laurens and Wheeler Counties. No injuries were reported.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the incident began when Laurens County Sheriff's deputies attempted to stop a stolen Silver Equinox connected to a recent carjacking in Jacksonville, Florida. The vehicle, driven by Brianna Michelle Long, evaded deputies. During the pursuit, passenger Steven Allen Shinholster II fired shots at law enforcement.
The chase continued into Wheeler County, where Long ran a stop sign and crashed the vehicle into a field. Both suspects fled on foot. Shinholster, still armed, continued firing at officers, including a Georgia State Patrol trooper, whose vehicle was struck but who was not injured.
The standoff ended in a wooded area after several hours when the Georgia State Patrol SWAT team arrested Long and Shinholster around 3 p.m.
Both individuals are being held at the Laurens County Detention Center and face multiple charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer in Laurens and Wheeler Counties. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, which will be submitted to the District Attorney's Offices for the Dublin and Oconee Judicial Circuits for review and prosecution.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation began its investigation yesterday at the request of local sheriff’s offices and will provide updates as the case progresses.
