On a summer day in Hampton, Georgia, the life of Stephen G. Blizzard, a 65-year-old male, was tragically cut short. On Saturday, July 15, 2023, Blizzard became one of four victims in a mass shooting that shattered the peace of the Dogwood Lakes subdivision. The unexpected violence also claimed the lives of Scott Leavitt, 67, his wife Shirley Leavitt, 66, and Ronald Jeffers, 66, all residents of the same quiet neighborhood.
Blizzard, a U.S.
Army veteran and a skilled master locksmith for the Henry County Board of Education, was a beloved grandfather. Remembered as a lover of photography and adventure, he was an active member of his community, serving as the vice president of his homeowners association. His sudden death left his family, including his three brothers and nine grandchildren, grappling with an immense loss.
The man identified by police as the shooter was 40-year-old Andre Longmore. After the shootings, a massive manhunt was launched to find him. The search came to a dramatic and violent end the following day in a suburb about 15 miles north of Hampton. When law enforcement officers closed in, Longmore engaged them in a shootout.
During the exchange of gunfire, a sheriff's deputy and two police officers were wounded. Longmore was ultimately shot and killed by police, bringing the intense search to a close. While the motive for the tragic shooting remains unclear, the incident left a lasting scar on the Hampton community and the families of the victims.
