UPDATE: GBI releases name of man killed in officer involved shooting in Habersham

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has released the name of the man killed Sunday in a deputy involved shooting in northern Habersham County. He’s identified as 24-year-old Christopher Collins of Cleveland. 

According to the GBI, the preliminary investigation revealed that, at approximately 9:20 a.m., a Habersham County Sheriff’s Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle being operated by Collins on Rosewood Drive near the intersection with Georgia Highway 15.

A Be On the Look Out (BOLO) for the vehicle and Collins had been broadcast to area law enforcement in reference to an aggravated assault incident involving a handgun occurring in White County and an attempted carjacking involving a firearm occurring in the City of Toccoa earlier in the morning.

“During the stop, Collins failed to comply with the deputy’s repeated commands to show his hands,” a GBI news release states. “Collins then exited the vehicle with a firearm at which time the deputy fired his duty weapon at Collins, striking him.”

Collins was pronounced dead at the scene.

The deputy involved in the shooting was not injured. His name has not been released.

Habersham County Sheriff’s Lt. Matthew Wurtz says the deputy has been with the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office for “a little while” and is a veteran law enforcement officer. “He has been put on paid administrative leave per our policy,” Wurtz says.

The shooting occurred in a private driveway alongside GA 365/US 441 South just past the Tom Arrendale Interchange. The Ford Explorer Collins was driving was stopped near the top of the drive by a locked gate. Wurtz says there does not appear to be any relationship between Collins and the homeowner.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate at the request of the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office. The GBI investigation is ongoing.

“The GBI will continue its independent investigation to determine what occurred during the incident,” according to GBI spokesperson Nelly Miles. “When the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.”