Suspect Jonathan William Harris Apprehended Following Wednesday’s Officer-Involved Shooting in Habersham County
CLARKESVILLE, GA — Jonathan William Harris, 34, of Sautee, Georgia, was taken into custody Thursday night after a multi-agency manhunt stemming from an officer-involved shooting that occurred early Wednesday in Habersham County. Harris was arrested around 9:00 p.m. at a residence on Rosewood Drive, just off Toccoa Highway outside Clarkesville, after a crucial tip from a local business led deputies to his location.
The search for Harris began after an incident on Wednesday, June 11, when he was allegedly involved in an altercation with law enforcement that escalated into gunfire. The specific circumstances of the officer-involved shooting, including the identity and condition of the involved deputy or officer, have not been released publicly at this time.
On Thursday evening, a sharp-eyed store employee noticed a man enter their business wearing a yellow traffic vest, a bicycle helmet, gloves, and a mask. When the man briefly removed his mask, the employee immediately recognized him as Jonathan Harris — the subject of the ongoing manhunt. Without hesitation, the employee contacted Habersham County 9-1-1, triggering an immediate response by multiple patrol units.
Upon arriving at the business, deputies reviewed surveillance footage and confirmed the man was indeed Harris. Witnesses told investigators that Harris had left the area in a Kubota side-by-side utility vehicle, which contained pine straw in its bed.
Deputies located the Kubota vehicle a short distance away on Rosewood Drive, and upon inspection, found the yellow vest, helmet, gloves, and mask described earlier, along with pine straw in the bed — further corroborating the tip.
K-9 units from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office and Banks County Sheriff’s Office were deployed to track Harris’ movements. Their efforts led to a camper trailer parked in the yard of a residence on Rosewood Drive, where they discovered a window had been forcibly opened. Deputies attempted to communicate with the person inside but received no response.
After observing movement inside the camper and learning from the homeowner that it was supposed to be unoccupied, deputies retrieved a key and made entry with the assistance of a K-9 team. Harris was found hiding beneath the camper’s bed and refused to comply with numerous verbal commands, resulting in his apprehension by the K-9 unit.
In Harris’s immediate possession were two loaded handguns, and deputies later found two additional firearms in a bag belonging to him. Emergency medical personnel from Habersham County Emergency Services assessed Harris at the scene for injuries sustained during the apprehension. He was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham for medical clearance and will be booked into the Habersham County Detention Center upon release.
Authorities stated that Harris now faces additional charges, though details regarding those charges have not yet been made public. The case remains under investigation, and law enforcement is asking that any individuals who believe they may have been victims of theft or burglary since Wednesday, June 11, contact the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Robin Krockum praised the efforts of all agencies involved, including Thursday night’s coordinated response by the Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and police departments from Baldwin, Clarkesville, Cornelia, and Helen.
“We are grateful for the swift action, vigilance, and dedication shown by our officers, partner agencies, and members of the public,” said Sheriff Krockum. “Because of those efforts, a dangerous suspect is now in custody and no longer a threat to the community.”
Further information regarding Harris’s court appearance and the results of the ongoing investigation into the officer-involved shooting is expected to be released in the coming days.
Leave a Reply