The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested a former Elbert County Sheriff’s deputy and charged her in connection with an on-duty shooting. Agents charged Jennifer Boggs Monday with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of reckless conduct.
The charges stem from an incident in Bowman on September 30.
Investigators say Boggs, 36, fired her gun while responding to a call from a man threatening to harm himself. The man, identified as Mac J. Cunningham, 33, of Hartwell, had contacted Elbert County 911. Before the dispatcher could get any information or offer assistance, he hung up the phone. The Elbert County Sheriff’s Office was able to track the call to a local cemetery. When deputies arrived on the scene, Cunningham was sitting in a pick-up truck with a handgun, the GBI says.
Deputies attempted to offer Cunningham help and try to get him to surrender the gun. At one point, Elbert County Deputy Jonathan Alewine attempted to break the side window of the vehicle. It was at that point that Boggs fired her handgun multiple times, according to state investigators. Deputy Alewine was shot in the hand. Cunningham did not fire a weapon and was not injured. Deputies took him into custody after the shooting.
Deputy Alewine was treated and released from a local hospital.
The GBI has referred its investigation to the Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney for prosecution.
