DA: INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Brian Rickman said it is
unclear when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation might complete its
probe of the officer-involved shooting of a Lavonia pastor last week
in Toccoa.

Rickman said agents are continuing to conduct interviews and to follow
up on information in connection with the shooting death of 28-year-old
Jonathan Ayers of Lavonia by a Mountain Judicial Circuit Narcotics
Criminal Investigation and Suppression (NCIS) team undercover agent.

That incident occurred mid-afternoon Tuesday in the parking lot of a
Shell convenience store near downtown Toccoa when NCIS agents pulled
up behind Ayers' car in an unmarked Cadillac Escalade, jumped out and
attempted to question him.

As the agents - who were not in uniform - attempted to question Ayers,
he put his car in reverse, striking one of the agents.

A second agent fired two shots into Ayers' vehicle after Ayers turned
the car toward him and proceeded forward.

The GBI was called automatically to conduct an independent
investigation into the officer-involved shooting, but has limited
resources to commit on an ongoing basis, Rickman said.

That's because of the ongoing, labor-intensive search for Kristi
Cornwell in Blairsville and furloughs of GBI agents.

"It's a prime example of why the furloughs hit so hard," Rickman said.
"When you have a situation like this and a missing person
simultaneously in Blairsville, and agents are being furloughed and
agent positions are being frozen, the GBI is challenged."

But Rickman doesn't want the public to think agents are not doing
their jobs thoroughly.

"They're working night and day," Rickman said of GBI personnel.
"They're in a difficult spot, but they're doing a professional,
thorough and unbelievable job investigating what needs to be
investigated."

Rickman said that because of the furloughs, freezing of open agent
positions and simultaneous Cornwell abduction probe, the GBI likely
will not be able to complete the investigation into the
officer-involved shooting of Ayers as quickly as the public would like.

"I can't say for sure" when the investigation might be completed,
Rickman said. "I don't want to speculate on the [GBI] crime lab on how
long it will take to process the evidence submitted."

Pending the outcome of the investigation, two of the five NCIS agents
are on paid administrative leave, Rickman confirmed.

"Just one agent fired shots," he said. "The other suffered minor
injuries when he was hit by the vehicle."