The GBI held a press conference Monday outlining new details in the Sunday shooting in Habersham that left three people dead and wounded two local law enforcement officers.
The shooting apparently stemmed from a long-simmering domestic dispute. Kathy Smith, her boyfriend Steve Singleton and ex-husband Anthony Giaquinta were all killed in the shooting spree.
Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell and Deputy Bill Zigen were wounded. A third deputy who opened fire on Giaquinta was unharmed. His name is being withheld for investigative reasons.
GBI Deputy Director Rusty Andrews says the incident began around 7:33pm Sunday as Terrell, Zigen and the third deputy were responding to a domestic dispute call at Smith’s residence at 281 Lower Pond Court in the Winding Stair subdivision. He says as the officers turned into the subdivision they were confronted by a black Ford Crown Victoria that was speeding toward them. “As the sheriff’s officers turned onto the road, the Crown Victoria veered off of the road, went into a yard and spun out in the yard.” Andrews says a man, later identified as suspected shooter Anthony Giaquinta, got out of the car and “ran into the wooded area near the yard where the vehicle stopped.”
“The Sheriff’s Office stopped and looked for him briefly in that area. They had also been notified by their dispatch that Mr. Giaquinta’s 16-year old daughter was the person who had made the initial call to 911 and that she and her boyfriend had fled the residence,” Andrews says. “They went and they located her outside the subdivision to make sure that she was okay and then they turned and went back to the residence in the subdivision.”
Upon arriving at the house, Andrews says the three officers entered the garage where they found the body Guiquinta’s ex-wife Kathy Smith. He says, “They then posted Deputy Zigen at the entrance to the garage outside the residence. The sheriff and the other deputy made entry to the residence to search for the suspect and to clear it and to see if there were other victims on the inside.” That’s when the shooting began. “Deputy Zigen was confronted by Anthony Giaquinta on the outside of the residence. It appears he was likely ambushed from a position that Giaquinta had taken.” He says Giaquinta started firing and Deputy Zigen was struck twice. “He went down on the concrete and then crawled to a position of cover inside the garage of the residence,” says Andrews.
Upon hearing the shots, Sheriff Terrell and the third deputy returned to the garage where Terrell was shot in his right bicep by Giaquinta. “The Sheriff then returned back into the residence seeking a position of cover. The third deputy was able to step up and exchange gunfire with Giaquinta,” Andrews explains. At that point Terrell and the third deputy evacuated the house and got Deputy Zigen to safety.
A perimeter was set up outside the house and SWAT teams from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol were called to the scene. Andrews says when the SWAT teams arrived they began searching for Giaquinta. “They fired gas into the house fearing that he was inside. Ultimately, it was determined that he was not inside the residence.” Andrews says officers began an exterior search and found Giaquinta’s body in the rear yard of the residence. “At this point we believe that he was likely killed by the return fire from law enforcement.” GBI Director of Public Affairs Sherry Lang says no shots were fired during the search.
As officers searched the exterior of the home they discovered the body of a third victim in a side yard. That victim is identified as 45-year old Steve Singleton of Flowery Branch. He’d been shot multiple times. Facebook posts made by Singleton and Smith this past New Year’s paint a foreboding picture of the events that unfolded last night. See Second shooting victim identified
It has not yet been determined when Singleton was killed but Andrews says it happened before law enforcement arrived.
Giaquinta and Smith divorced in June of last year. They had two daughters together, ages 16 and 18. The 18-year old was not at home when the shooting occurred. Andrews says the 16-year old and her boyfriend fled to safety unharmed.
GBI investigators are still processing the crime scene. Andrews says, “We have most of our interviews done as far as the investigation is concerned,” but adds, “There are still a few folks we are trying to locate and interview.”
Giaquinta was a former Habersham County Sheriff’s deputy who left the department to go overseas to work as a military contractor. He returned to his job in Habersham where he worked until June 15, 2013, when he was fired for allegations of domestic violence. Andrews says it appears he has not worked in law enforcement since, but that remains under investigation.
Despite the history of domestic violence involved, Andrews says there were no restraining orders in place at the time of Sunday’s shooting.
Asked by reporters why the Sheriff responded to Sunday’s 911 call Andrews explains, “He responded because he knew the family and knew the situation and he knew there was a potential for violence.” Andrews adds it was well-known that Giaquinta had a lot of guns in his possession, but says the GBI currently has no information indicating he had made any previous weapons-related threats. There was nothing legally barring Giaquinta from owning firearms. “He was terminated for domestic violence, however, the charges were not ever adjudicated in court,” Andrews says.
The GBI’s investigation at this point indicates that the 2013 incident was the only time Giaquinta was ever charged with domestic violence. There is strong indication, however, from friends and family and through social media that trouble had existed between the two for some time. Smith’s relationship with Singleton was apparently an issue between the exes.
As far as Giaquinta’s relationship with the Sheriff, Andrews says there’s no immediate evidence of any ‘bad blood’ and adds, “He (Giaquinta) was disenfranchised with law enforcement, in general.”
The GBI is conducting the investigation at the request of the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.
