TIFTON, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirms that 35-year-old Davy Deonte Royal of Tifton is now in custody following a dramatic morning shoot-out that injured two officers from the Tifton Police Department. Royal faces a string of serious charges — and the community of Tifton is still reeling.
Official records show Royal was charged with five counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, five counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder.
According to the GBI’s preliminary report, the incident began about 10:50 a.m. Friday when Tifton police — backed by the GBI Special Operations Unit — tried to serve a search warrant at Royal’s home on the 800 block of Lee Avenue. Officers knocked and announced their presence before moving to enter. That’s when Royal allegedly opened fire. The officers returned the gunfire.
During the exchange, two investigators were struck by gunfire. They were rushed to local hospitals and, by Friday afternoon, were reported to be in stable condition.
After the initial volley, Royal barricaded himself inside the house. A tense standoff followed for several hours, prompting road closures and a heavy law-enforcement presence. Authorities brought in tactical units armed with rifles and shotguns before finally securing the scene. Roughly around 2:15 p.m., Royal surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody without further incident.
The GBI has taken over the investigation. Once their internal review is finished, the case will be handed off to the Tift County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
As of now, the agencies have not released the names of the wounded officers. Still, online fundraising efforts suggest they may be Michael Gaskins and Jerry Fulford — though that hasn’t been officially confirmed. Two GoFundMe pages set up for their families had collected significant donations as of Sunday morning: roughly $10,800 for Gaskins and about $7,600 for Fulford.
The shooting has shaken the tight-knit community of Tifton. Residents and local officials are expressing relief that the officers are expected to recover — and gratitude that the suspect was apprehended without further bloodshed. Many are now waiting anxiously as the investigation proceeds toward prosecution.
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