In the early morning hours of August 25, 2023, a violent altercation at a home on Big Horse Creek Road in Lumber City, Georgia, claimed the life of Richard Leonard Harris. The 29-year-old White/Caucasian male, a resident of Milan who was living in Lumber City, was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound.
The events leading to the fatal shooting began to unfold around 12:20 a.m. when the Telfair County 911 center received a call about a man being shot.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was subsequently requested by the Telfair County Sheriff's Office to assist with the death investigation. According to the preliminary investigation, Harris was involved in a confrontation during which he struck another man multiple times with a bat. In response to the attack, the other man shot Harris.
The chaotic incident also resulted in two other individuals being shot; however, their injuries were reported as minor. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made in connection with Harris's death. The investigation remains active and ongoing. Authorities have encouraged anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Eastman. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be handed over to the Oconee District Attorney's Office for review.
