Crime
Victims killed in Tignall shooting identified, suspect Shannon Box in custody
Box is currently being held at the Wilkes County Jail as the investigation continues.
On the morning of Friday, December 6, 2024, at approximately 8:00 a.m., the Wilkes County Sheriffโs Office responded to a sighting of Shannon Box near Danburg Road in Tignall, Georgia.
Deputies quickly located Box at a church on Jones Chapel Road, where he was taken into custody without resistance.
Shannon Box now faces multiple charges, including:
- Three counts of Murder
- Three counts of Possession of a Knife During the Commission of a Crime
- Aggravated Assault
Box is currently being held at the Wilkes County Jail as the investigation continues.
Authorities have confirmed the identities of the three victims in this tragic case:
- Chauncey Box, age 55, of Tignall, GA
- Brenda Lipscomb, age 67, of Tignall, GA
- Michael Schmidt, age 55, of Tignall, GA
Law enforcement officials have not released additional details about the motive behind the killings. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is assisting with the case, and updates are expected as more information becomes available.
This incident has deeply affected the small community of Tignall, and local authorities are urging anyone with further information to contact the GBI Tipline at 800-597-8477.
The bodies were discovered on Thursday in a home located on the 900 block of Mallorysville Road, northwest of Tignall, a small town with fewer than 500 residents.
Deputies initially responded to a call regarding an injured woman on the same road.
Upon investigation, they determined she had been attacked at the residence where the three victims were later found.
Shannon Box, the suspect in the case, was captured by authorities on Friday morning and is being questioned regarding the homicides.
Officials have stated that Box has been charged with one count of aggravated assault related to the injured woman, who sustained multiple injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
Law enforcement sources indicated that Box allegedly made threats to target individuals he believed had wronged him, adding a concerning dimension to the investigation.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is treating the case as a triple homicide and is leading the investigation. By late Thursday evening, the scene on Mallorysville Road had been cleared, but the community remains on edge as more details emerge.
The GBI is urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward. Tips can be submitted through the GBI Tipline at 800-597-8477, the “See Something, Send Something” app, or online at GBI’s Investigative Tip Line.
This tragic event has shocked the quiet Wilkes County community, and officials are continuing their efforts to uncover the circumstances leading to these senseless deaths. Further updates are expected as the investigation unfolds.
Orlando, Fla. โ Family and friends of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz are seeking answers and accountability following his fatal shooting outside a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub early Sunday morning.
According to the Orlando Police Department, officers responded at approximately 2:31 a.m. on February 22, 2026, to the 1900 block of North Orange Avenue, just north of Lake Ivanhoe, in reference to a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Cruz suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities confirmed Cruz was born May 18, 1992.
Detectives determined that prior to the shooting, Cruz and the suspect were involved in a verbal and physical altercation on the sidewalk outside the nightclub district. Investigators say that during the dispute, the suspect retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz.
The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, which patrol officers later located in the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue, approximately two blocks from where the shooting occurred.
Police subsequently arrested 37-year-old Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr (DOB: October 29, 1988). He has been charged with Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. Authorities confirmed this case marks the third homicide in Orlando in 2026.
Cruzโs father, Anthony Cruz, said his son and his partner had been at Savoy Orlando enjoying the evening before the violence unfolded.
According to the family, as the couple exited the club after closing time, a vehicle sped past them. Cruzโs partner allegedly yelled toward the occupants of the vehicle, prompting the car to stop. A physical altercation then reportedly began between Cruzโs partner and one of the individuals from the vehicle.
โWhen they fought, my son saw that was happening. My son went to intervene, and when he intervened, another guy got out of the car, and he got shot,โ Anthony Cruz said. โMy son didnโt deserve what happened. All I have left is a shirt โ a shirt with a bullet hole.โ
While police have charged Borja Gil De La Madr, Cruzโs family maintains that another individual may have been directly responsible for pulling the trigger. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional suspects are being sought.
A small memorial has formed across from the nightclub, where members of the community have gathered to honor Cruzโs memory.
Joshua Cooper, owner of Savoy Orlando, said the tragedy has deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, even though the shooting occurred off the clubโs property.
โI didnโt know the victim, but from everything Iโve been told, I wish I had,โ Cooper said. โHe seemed like a great kid. Seeing a family that is so heartbroken and so supportive of this community says so much.โ
The Orlando Police Department has not released additional information regarding potential additional suspects. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and shooting.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline.
The investigation remains active.