James Blake Montgomery, a Georgia man, is accused of shooting at two Columbia County deputies with a modified handgun during a traffic stop. Deputy Brandon Sikes lost his life, while Deputy Gavin White sustained serious injuries.
According to WRDW, the incident occurred on Saturday, April 26, while Montgomery was driving an RV down Interstate 20. At the time, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office believed Montgomery was changing firearms to make them fully automatic. Authorities also suspected that he had been making pipe bombs.
Clay Whittle, the Columbia County Sheriff, conducted a press conference in which he explained the incident step by step.
Three deputies conducted the traffic stop to serve Montgomery with a temporary protective order, which was reported as being related to domestic violence. Initially, Montgomery interacted regularly with the deputies. However, as Sikes and White moved away from Montgomery, the suspect allegedly shot a 9mm AR weapon at them. The pistol had been modified to be fully automatic.
During the shooting, Deputy Sikes was murdered, and Deputy White was injured in the face before being brought to Wellstart MCH Hospital for surgery. Other deputies responded immediately, firing back at Montgomery. Montgomery attempted to run, but his RV collided with the left side of the highway and the cable barricades. Detectives later discovered the suspect dead, assuming that deputies had murdered him at this time.
Drones and robots allegedly uncovered pipe bombs and drug paraphernalia inside his home.
Reactions
Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson issued a statement on Saturday regarding the event.
“Heartbroken and praying for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and our neighbors in Columbia County,” Johnson wrote on Facebook. “Our prayers are with the families of the fallen, the entire Sheriff’s Office, and all who are grieving this unimaginable loss. We honor their sacrifice and pray for the difficult days ahead.”
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr expressed his condolences on X following the death of Deputy Brandon Sikes. Carr stated on April 26 at 9 p.m. that they were waiting for updates on Deputy White’s condition.
“Anyone willing to put on the uniform every day in a job that’s not safe, with somebody waiting for them to come home at the end of the shift, deserves our unwavering support & continued appreciation,” Carr wrote. “We join in praying for the family of this fallen Deputy, his fellow officer, & all who served with him.”
Deputy Brandon Sikes has worked as a deputy since 2018. His wife, Amber, also worked at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, according to WRDW. Sikes’ autopsy is planned for Monday, April 28.
According to Fox News Digital, James Blake Montgomery faces felony aggravated assault charges in 2022. He was later exonerated, though. His body was taken to the GBI crime lab for an autopsy on an unspecified date.
