A quiet evening in Rex, Georgia, turned into a scene of devastating violence on November 30, 2021, ending in the tragic deaths of four people, including 70-year-old Mary Gilliam. The events unfolded when Clayton County police received multiple 911 calls reporting a domestic disturbance and gunfire at a residence on Jervis Court. The situation quickly escalated, drawing multiple officers to the suburban home where a chaotic and heartbreaking series of events was already in motion.
Prior to the arrival of law enforcement, Arthur Allen Gilliam, 35, had shot two women inside the home. One of the victims was Mary Gilliam, and the other was 32-year-old Dominique Bibbins. A 12-year-old boy was also shot in the face but managed to escape and lead the arriving officers to the house. As police approached, they were met with gunfire from Arthur Gilliam. In the ensuing exchange, Clayton County Field Training Officer Henry Laxson was fatally wounded, and another officer, Alex Chandler, was shot in the hand.
The confrontation came to a deadly conclusion when tactical officers returned fire, killing the suspect, Arthur Allen Gilliam, at the scene. Inside the home, officers discovered the bodies of Mary Gilliam and Dominique Bibbins. The wounded 12-year-old boy was transported to a hospital in critical but stable condition. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to handle the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, while the Clayton County Police Department investigated the deaths of the two women. The motive for the initial shootings was reported as a domestic dispute, though the specific relationship between Arthur Gilliam and the two female victims was not immediately released.
