LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has identified the suspect in the March 12, 2021 officer-involved shooting involving the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office.
LCSO Sheriff Ashley Paulk said the incident happened between 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Friday at the Gables apartment complex in Valdosta.
On March 12, 2021, two Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to serve a court order to take 43-year-old Raymond Whitfield Tarbox, II into custody at The Gables Apartments at 1415 St. Augustine Road, Valdosta, Ga.
Upon arrival, Tarbox resisted the deputies and was armed with a butcher knife.
Tarbox became combative and deputies deployed a Taser on him, which was ineffective.
At some point during the incident, Tarbox lunged towards the deputies with the knife. One of the deputies fired his service weapon, striking Tarbox.
He was pronounced deceased at the scene and his body was transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Decatur for autopsy.
No officers were injured during the incident.
The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Once completed, the case will be turned over to the Lowndes County District Attorney's Office for review.
Deputies were attempting to serve a court pickup order when the incident occurred. One man is dead. No deputies are injured. We’ll issue an update when we have more info.
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) March 12, 2021
