17-year-old, juveniles charged in deputy-involved shooting in Lowndes Co.

LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - A 17-year-old and two juveniles have been arrested after the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office reports they shot at one of their deputies.

The incident started after deputies working a concert on Monday heard that a teenager tried to bring a firearm into the venue. Deputies then went to the front of the concert area where the vehicle the teenagers were in sped off.

Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk says the chase began on Val Tech Road, which then led to I-75 North before the vehicle exited in Hahira at Exit 29. Georgia State Patrol troopers used a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) on the car on Highway 122 East outside of the Hahira city limits.

Two suspects were arrested on the scene. The third suspect, a 15-year-old, ran into the woods on the south side of Highway 122, according to an incident report. During the foot chase, the 15-year-old reportedly fired shots at the deputy.

“When the vehicle was pitted, there was three people in it: a 17-year-old driver and two juveniles, aged 15. One of the juveniles actually left the vehicle and went over a fence into the wooded area. When he got into the wooded area, he turned and fired one shot at the deputy.”

Paulk says the deputy was not injured by the one shot that fired him. The deputy did return fire, but no one was hurt.

The K9 that was helping the deputy took down the suspect and disarmed him, the incident report says. The suspect was then arrested with minor injuries from the K9.

The sheriff’s office says the vehicle used by the suspect was also confirmed to be stolen.

The 17-year-old driver Jabari Jackson is charged with fleeing and attempting to elude and unnamed traffic charges.

One of the 15-year-old suspects, and the presumed shooter, is charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, theft by receiving stolen property-motor vehicle, obstruction of a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by person under 18 years of age.

Another 15-year-old is charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer and theft by receiving stolen property.



The sheriff’s office will be conducting an internal investigation regarding the shooting and asks anyone with information to call them at (229) 671-2900.