Hall County Sheriff’s deputies work the crime scene along GA 365 near Whitehall Road on Friday, May 4, 2018. (Photo courtesy Scott Rogers/ Gainesville Times)
A Demorest man is among the victims of Friday’s shooting on GA Highway 365 in Hall County. Family friends say Joe Welborn was one of two men shot when a gunman randomly opened fire on passing cars on GA 365 near Whitehall Road around noon.
At least seven cars were hit. The 73-year-old Welborn was shot in the lower left leg and a 54-year-old Gainesville man was shot in the hip, according to an updated report from officials. A 49-year-old local woman suffered a minor injury when her windshield shattered after being hit by a bullet.
The two shooting victims were transported by Hall County Fire Services and Habersham County EMS to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. They were listed in satisfactory condition Friday afternoon.
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Authorities say the gunman, identified Saturday as 26-year-old Rex Harbour of Snellville, shot himself during a police chase. He died while being airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
Victims call 911
Authorities released additional details about the incident Saturday during a press conference and in a news release.
They say shortly before 11:50 a.m. on May 4 a woman called Hall County 911 Dispatch. She reported her husband was shot as they headed north near Tribble Gap Road in the northeast portion of the county
“Almost immediately, additional callers reported hearing gunshots and advised that other vehicles had been struck by bullets in the same vicinity,” the release states. “911 callers also indicated a second adult male motorist had been hit by a bullet.”
Hall County Sheriff’s Deputies responded, closed GA 365 and set up a perimeter.
At roughly noon, officials say deputies spotted a beige, 2003 Buick Century pulling out of the woodline near Tribble Gap Road. One deputy ran toward the car with a drawn weapon as he radioed for assistance and described the car to other law enforcement officers, according to the news release. The driver of the Buick looked at the deputy and drove off, heading south on GA 365.
Deputies and Georgia State Patrol Troopers attempted to stop the car, but the driver sped off. Following a brief chase, the driver shot himself in the head with a 9mm pistol, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office. The car went out of control and came to a stop in the median. Authorities say no law enforcement officers fired shots during the incident.
Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch praises local law enforcement and emergency responders’ handling of the situation.
“As incidents of this nature tragically become more common across the nation, we now have the unfortunate task of experiencing it right here in Hall County,” Couch says. “Despite the chaotic nature of the incident, personnel from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia State Patrol, Gainesville Police Department and Hall County Fire Services all performed admirably and worked together to quickly mitigate the situation and bring it to a close without any further casualties. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those involved.”
Updated 5/5/18@5:20pm
