Dahlonega, Georgia: Man Shot by Deputy in Lumpkin County Identified, Remains Critical

A man shot by a Hall County deputy during a pursuit in Lumpkin County on Friday morning remains in critical condition, and state investigators on Saturday gave his name as Toby Paul Stoyle, 31, of Royston, Georgia.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the shooting happened in the Dahlonega area, near the Hall County line. At about 10:00 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, Hall County sheriff's deputies went to a home in the area of Mincey Mountain Road to conduct a probation search related to a theft investigation. Lumpkin County deputies and agents from the GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office assisted at the property.

A search, a pursuit and a crash

Investigators said deputies found Stoyle sitting in a car at the property. According to the Hall County Sheriff's Office, deputies tried to arrest him after finding that he had an active arrest warrant. The GBI said Stoyle drove away as deputies approached, nearly striking officers with his car, and deputies from Hall and Lumpkin counties pursued him.

The chase ended after Stoyle crashed along Emory Stephens Road, just north of the county line, the sheriff's office said. As law enforcement approached, the GBI said, Stoyle got out of the car and pointed a gun at the deputies. A Hall County deputy then opened fire and hit Stoyle several times. Deputies gave him first aid at the scene until paramedics arrived, and a gun was recovered at the crash site, officials said.

Critical in Gainesville, deputy on leave

Stoyle was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, where the GBI confirmed on Saturday that he remains in critical condition. No deputies or other officers were injured in the incident.

The Hall County Sheriff's Office said the deputy who fired was placed on paid administrative leave, in line with department policy. The office has not released the deputy's name. Authorities have not shared the specific charges listed on Stoyle's arrest warrant or why he was at the residence, and the GBI has not said whether any other officer fired a weapon.

Two investigations now run at once

The Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is investigating the crash. The GBI is conducting an independent investigation into the shooting at the request of the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office. When that investigation is complete, the GBI said, the case file will go to the Enotah Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office for review.

Anyone with information about the shooting can contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland at 706-348-4866. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 1-800-597-TIPS or through the state See Something, Send Something mobile app, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.