Warm Springs, Georgia – A Warm Springs officer killed while sitting in his patrol car has been identified by his department as Chris Fisher, who was fatally shot late Tuesday night in the Meriwether County city. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Fisher had just completed an unrelated traffic stop when he was attacked.
According to the GBI, the shooting occurred at about 11:57 p.m. on September 1st outside the Meriwether Country Inn on Spring Street. Investigators said Fisher was seated in his patrol vehicle when a driver in a black 2026 Chevrolet Silverado pulled alongside him and fired multiple shots into the cruiser. Fisher was struck and pronounced dead at the scene.
The gunman fled, and no other injuries were reported.
The GBI said it is conducting an independent investigation at the request of the Warm Springs Police Department. State agents, the Georgia State Patrol, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and deputies in Anderson County, South Carolina, all assisted in the response. Officials said the case will be referred to the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
Fisher had served in Georgia law enforcement since 2010, with prior time at the Heard, Fayette, and Meriwether County Sheriff’s Offices before joining Warm Springs earlier this year. He is the fifth Georgia law enforcement officer reported killed in the line of duty in 2026.
Blue Alert and the Search for the Suspect
Hours after the shooting, the GBI issued a statewide Blue Alert for 23-year-old Jimmie Steverson of Warm Springs, describing him as armed and dangerous. In its alert, the GBI urged anyone who spotted him or any suspicious activity to take immediate precautions and call 911.
Fisher had been the arresting officer on charges filed against Steverson only days before the shooting. Those prior charges reportedly included marijuana possession and distribution, possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of certain crimes, and obstruction of law enforcement through threats or violence.
The manhunt ended late Wednesday morning. Authorities said Steverson was found around 11:39 a.m. as a passenger in a vehicle stopped by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina. According to investigators, he was suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital. The extent of his injuries was not released.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said he was saddened by Fisher’s death. In a statement, Kemp said the killing is a tragic reminder of the dangers law enforcement face on a daily basis in service to their communities.
The GBI said the investigation remains active and that additional details would be released as they are confirmed.
