Overview

• Two Columbia County deputies were shot during a traffic stop on Interstate 20 near Augusta, resulting in one death and one critical injury.
• The suspect, identified as James Blake Montgomery, barricaded himself in a camper near Mile Marker 194 before being found dead on Sunday; the cause of his death is under investigation.
• The injured deputy remains hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in the face during the incident.
• Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and other officials extended condolences to the deputies' families and called for stronger measures to address violence against law enforcement.
• This marks the third officer death in Georgia this year, highlighting a troubling rise in line-of-duty fatalities across the state.