What started as a Sunday night family reunion in Leesburg turned into sheer chaos, after relatives say a man drove past their gathering, shouted racial slurs and then came back wearing body armor with an AR-15 style rifle before opening fire. One family member, described by relatives as trained and armed, fired back and wounded the suspect, who was later treated at a hospital and booked into jail. Children and elderly relatives scrambled for cover in yards and under cars, and the family says they believe the attack was racially motivated.
What deputies say
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were dispatched to the 100 and 200 blocks of Autumn Leaf Drive around 9 p.m. after multiple 911 calls about shots fired. Officials told reporters the incident began as a “verbal altercation,” according to WALB. Deputies found a man suffering from a gunshot wound; they say he was medically cleared at a hospital, then taken to the Lee County Jail. Authorities have charged him with aggravated assault and say additional counts could follow as the investigation unfolds.
Suspect, weapons and exchange of gunfire
Local reporting identifies the suspect as Jeffrey Tyler Kinzer. Witnesses told reporters he first leaned out of a passing vehicle and yelled racial slurs at people gathered in the yard before driving off, then later returned, according to KKTV. This time, witnesses say, he was wearing body armor and carrying an AR-15 style rifle when he fired toward the group. Multiple people at the home fired back. Kinzer was struck, treated at a hospital and later booked on an aggravated assault charge, the outlet reports.
Witnesses describe chaotic scene
“He’s talking junk. He started yelling the ‘N-word,’” witness Ramell Green told WALB, recalling the first pass of the vehicle. As bullets started flying later, another witness, Loucindi Broussard, said she crawled under a car with her 77-year-old sister to stay out of the line of fire. Relatives told reporters there were roughly 20 children and older adults at the get-together when the shooting erupted.
Family fought back; veteran defended the yard
Witnesses said one relative, described as a Marine veteran, grabbed a gun and returned fire to shield family members and neighbors, according to KKTV. Officials told reporters that exchange of gunfire is what left the suspect wounded. Several vehicles in the area were also reported damaged by bullets during the incident.
Investigation and charges
County booking records show Jeffrey Tyler Kinzer was booked into the Lee County Jail on June 8 on an aggravated assault charge, according to RecentlyBooked. Atlanta News First reports that “additional charges [are] expected” as investigators continue to review statements and any available footage. Law enforcement officials are gathering more witness accounts and seeking video from the neighborhood to map out exactly how the confrontation escalated.
Legal context
Aggravated assault is a felony under Georgia law (OCGA § 16-5-21) and can carry a prison sentence that stretches for years, depending on how the crime was committed, according to statutory summaries and case law compiled by legal resources such as CaseMine. If prosecutors ultimately argue that the attack was chosen because of bias, Georgia’s sentencing-enhancement statute for bias crimes (OCGA § 17-10-17) allows for tougher penalties once specific notice procedures are followed, as outlined in court rulings summarized on FindLaw.
How to help investigators
Anyone with video, photos or information about the shooting is asked to contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at (229) 759-6012, according to the county’s official sheriff page. Deputies are encouraging witnesses to share anything that could help them piece together the timeline of events on Autumn Leaf Drive.
