UPDATED -- An Athens man is behind bars in Banks County after allegedly shooting two people then leading a state trooper on a chase that led to a 4.5-hour armed standoff in Madison County.
"Banks County 9-1-1 originally received an emergency call around 8:51 p.m. Monday regarding a shooting that had just occurred in the area of Carson Road and Highway 326.," said Sgt. Carissa McFaddin of Banks County Sheriff's Office.
"Deputies responded and found that there were two victims, one of which who was shot in the chest and the other shot in the arm," McFaddin said. "The victims advised that an altercation occurred in a vehicle while they were traveling down the road."
McFaddin said they suspect, identified as Jeremy John Onori, 38, of Old Jefferson Road in Athens, left the two victims on the side of the road and fled the scene in a vehicle.
Deputies issued a lookout on the Infiniti vehicle and at 11:42 p.m. Banks County Dispatch was notified that a trooper from Georgia State Patrol Post 32 in Athens had located what he believed was the vehicle in Madison County.
During the ensuing pursuit by the trooper, a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver was conducted successfully in the area of Black Creek Church Road and Red Hill Road in Madison County.
"After the vehicle came to a stop, the white male driver was observed to be holding a gun to his head," McFaddin said. "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."
Finally, at about 4:19 a.m., following negotiation efforts, the GSP SWAT Team was able to detain Onori.
"The driver was then confirmed to be the initial suspect from the Banks County double shooting," McFaddin said. "Onori was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical, where he was evaluated and released to Banks County deputies."
Onori is being housed in the detention wing of the Banks County Law Enforcement Center. Charges are forthcoming from the GBI, McFaddin said.
"We would like to thank GBI, GSP, GSP SWAT, Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Madison County Sheriff's Office, Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Commerce Police Department and the ADTF for all of their assistance during this incident."
The investigation has been turned over to the GBI.
