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 Sheriff’s 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.
Crime
34-year-old Augusta Fireman Spencer Johnson charged in accidental shooting of his 3-year-old son in Harlem
Johnson, a decorated firefighter from Augusta, was arrested on Friday.
A Columbia County father, Spencer Allen Johnson, 34, of Harlem, Georgia, has been charged with child cruelty after his 3-year-old son, Evan Johnson, accidentally shot himself in the shoulder with an unsecured firearm.
According to authorities, the incident occurred Thursday night when the child accessed an unsecured firearm in his father’s bedroom.
The young boy, left unsupervised, discharged the weapon, resulting in a gunshot wound to his shoulder. Fortunately, the child is expected to make a full recovery.
Johnson, a decorated firefighter from Augusta, was arrested on Friday.
He faces charges of child cruelty stemming from criminal negligence, which authorities allege caused “excessive physical pain” to his son through neglectful supervision. He is currently being held at the Columbia County Detention Center with bond set at $10,100.
The Harlem Police Department did not initially release information about the shooting. However, as rumors of the incident spread on social media, the situation was later confirmed by both WGAC’s Austin Rhodes and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office late Friday evening.
Early Saturday morning, Harlem Police Chief issued a statement on the department’s Facebook page, stating that the case remains under investigation as new details emerge.
The Chief’s statement suggests that the full circumstances surrounding the shooting are still being determined.
In his booking photo, Johnson is seen wearing an anti-suicide smock, a standard precautionary measure taken in some detention facilities.
The incident has sparked discussions about gun safety and parental responsibility. Authorities are expected to release further information as the investigation unfolds.
Meanwhile, the Columbia County community remains concerned about ensuring proper firearm storage to prevent similar tragedies.