A Georgia sheriff’s deputy gunned down as he attempted to execute a search warrant has died from his wounds.
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the death of Investigator Taylor Bristow in the early hours of Saturday morning, days after he was critically wounded while on duty.
“Tonight, we mourn the passing of Investigator Bristow, who has left this earth and gained his heavenly wings,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “He served our community with unwavering passion and dedicated his life to protecting the citizens of Carroll County.”
Bristow served with the Carrol County Sheriff’s Office for six years. He leaves behind his wife and two children.
Bristow was attempting to carry out a search warrant related to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation child exploitation case when he was shot on Tuesday.
Authorities said the suspect, identified as 40-year-old Christopher Bly, opened the front door of his home on Don Rich Drive and retreated back inside, prompting the responding deputies to follow.
“Bly produced a handgun and fired, striking himself and one of the deputies,” the GBI said in a media release. “Bly was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The deadly incident remains under investigation.
On Saturday, a procession escorted Bristow’s body from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab to Hightower Funeral Home in Bremen.
“As the sun rose this morning, the reality of our loss still feels unimaginable,” the sheriff’s office said. “The grief we carry for the passing of one of our own is beyond words, but we are grateful to be part of a community whose overwhelming support and love is just as immeasurable.”
