Peach County deputy placed on leave, wounded man still critical

A Fort Valley man remained in critical condition Wednesday after he was shot at home Tuesday morning by a Peach County sheriff’s deputy.

The deputy had gone to the man’s house to investigate an earlier shooting that reportedly happened there.

The deputy and another officer went to the West Valley Drive house about 3 a.m.

A man who lives there, Lonnie Shaw, answered the door holding a pistol, authorities have said.

What occurred in the moments before Deputy Brandon Williams shot Shaw in the upper torso was being investigated by the GBI, said Sheriff Terry Deese.

Williams, who has 11 years of experience in law enforcement, was placed on administrative leave, Deese said. “That’s just standard.”

Williams and another deputy went to the house, which is just north of Ga. 96 near Peach County High School, after Shaw’s 28-year-old stepson, Nicholas Coker, showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg.

Coker reportedly told investigators that the shooting happened at Shaw’s house.

J.T. Ricketson, special agent in charge of the GBI’s Perry office, said investigators were analyzing footage from the home’s surveillance system, which had cameras recording from various angles, including the front door.

“It’s consistent with what the two deputies told us, and what (Shaw’s) wife told us,” Ricketson said of the video.

“When the door opens until a shot was fired is just a very short amount of time. ... We’re going to have to go back and look at that.”

Audio recorders worn by deputies were also being analyzed and compared to the surveillance footage.

Ricketson said Williams’ gun would be sent to the GBI crime lab in Columbus.

In coming weeks, Ricketson said he expects the audio, video and other evidence to be presented to Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney David Cooke.

This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Peach County deputy placed on leave, wounded man still critical."