An Athens man is in custody after a six hour standoff with police. According to a release by the GBI, 38-year-old Jeremy Onori was suspected of shooting 21-year-old Kentavious Burges and 19-year-old Brandon Bell off of Georgia Highway 326 in rural Banks County on the night of May 23, 2016. Onori then took their vehicle and fled the area.
Several hours later, the Georgia State Patrol tried to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle. A brief pursuit led into Madison County, ending on Blacks Creek Church Road where a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver was performed. Onori was armed with a handgun and a standoff with law enforcement officers ensued.
“A standoff with the driver ensued quickly at which time the driver refused to put the gun down and continued to smoke from a smoking device that contained what is believed to be crack cocaine,” says Banks County Sheriff’s Sgt. Carissa McFadden.
Onori surrendered to the GSP SWAT team at 4:19 a.m. on May 24 after a six hour standoff. No one was injured during the incident. He was taken into custody and later charged with three counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of Armed Robbery, and one count of Hijacking a Motor Vehicle.
Banks County Sheriff Carlton Speed requested the GBI to investigate the shooting incident. GSP, County Sheriff’s Offices of Banks, Jackson and Madison, and the Commerce and Athens-Clarke County Police Departments all assisted with the incident.
The two shooting victims were transported to a local hospital where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The investigation into the incident continues.
Updated May 27, 2016
