Two men dead after shooting and police pursuit in Richmond Hill

Two men are dead following a shooting and a subsequent police pursuit in Richmond Hill, Georgia, on October 17, 2026. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is leading the investigation into the incident.

According to preliminary reports, Bryan County 911 received a report of shots fired at a residence on Golden Grove Lane at approximately 12:14 a.m. Richmond Hill Police Department officers arrived to find Mykyle Augustus Barton, 37, with multiple apparent gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene. A resident at the home identified Lawrence Zion Pritchard, 33, as the alleged shooter.

Officers located Pritchard near the residence, but he fled in an SUV, initiating a pursuit. During the chase, police attempted several Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuvers, but were unsuccessful. The pursuit ended when Pritchard stopped his vehicle in a parking lot on Georgia Highway 144. Officers discovered Pritchard inside the SUV with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.