1 dead, 1 injured; shooting suspect surrenders after manhunt
by Staff reports
8 months ago | 30627 views | 139 139 comments | 216 216 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Tim Spriggs is led into the Floyd County Jail by Floyd County Police Officers for booking. (Ken Caruthers/RN-T.com)
Tim Spriggs is led into the Floyd County Jail by Floyd County Police Officers for booking. (Ken Caruthers/RN-T.com)
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Robert Timothy Spriggs Jr.
Robert Timothy Spriggs Jr.
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Rome and Floyd County police, along with SWAT team officers, surround a house on East Clinton Drive during a search for a gunman on Tuesday night. (Ken Caruthers/RN-T.com)
Rome and Floyd County police, along with SWAT team officers, surround a house on East Clinton Drive during a search for a gunman on Tuesday night. (Ken Caruthers/RN-T.com)
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Rome and Floyd County police, along with SWAT team officers, surround a house on East Clinton Drive during a search for a gunman on Tuesday night. (Ken Caruthers/RN-T.com)
Rome and Floyd County police, along with SWAT team officers, surround a house on East Clinton Drive during a search for a gunman on Tuesday night. (Ken Caruthers/RN-T.com)
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4 p.m. update: The Floyd County Sheriff's Office has issued the following statement:

"Sheriff Tim Burkhalter and the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office staff would like to extend our sincerest condolences for the victims of yesterday’s shooting. As a father of a young daughter I can appreciate what Mr. Davis was feeling over the last few days, and I truly sympathize with the families involved in this tragic incident. Some things are hard to understand. We pray that the families find comfort in knowing that we care. "

Burkhalter, a family friend, helped convince alleged gunman Robert Timothy Spriggs Jr. to turn himself in Tuesday evening.

3 p.m. update: Teresa Davis, the wife of slain shooting victim John Gregory Davis, said that Scott Sulsberger, who also was shot in the incident, is recovering at Floyd Medical Center and would likely be discharged in the next few days. "He's doing fine," she said. "He's up and walking around."

2 p.m. update: Police have reported little new information today about a shooting in Armuchee last night that left a man dead and another wounded. Investigator Sabrina Hall with the Floyd County Police Department said this afternoon that officers are examining a car driven by suspected gunman Robert Timothy Spriggs Jr. She also said officers interviewed Spriggs last night at the police station.

10:30 a.m. update: Shorter College -- where the alleged shooter had played football and the daughter of victim John Gregory Davis was a student -- issued this statement Wednesday:

"The Shorter College community was saddened to learn of yesterday's tragic events. We are very concerned about those who have been affected, especially the Davis family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them. Campus ministers, Dr. Aaron Werner and Rev. David Roland, met with the family and a group of students last night and are remaining in contact with them. Faculty and staff are providing support for students in classes and other group settings. In addition, our director of student support services is available for students who feel the need to talk with a counselor about this situation."

10:15 a.m. update: Rome police reports indicate there was an altercation between suspect Robert Timothy Spriggs and the daughter of the victim, John Gregory Davis, on Saturday night.

According to Rome police reports:

Davis had contacted police about an incident Saturday night. Police opened a case file and spoke with both Spriggs and the daughter, and took photographs of both of their injuries.

Police did not detail what allegedly happened between the two on Saturday.

9:30 a.m. update: Floyd County Schools officials have confirmed that the man killed in a shooting last night, 46-year-old John Gregory Davis, worked in the system's maintenance department.

Lynn Plunkett, superintendent of the system, said Davis was a wonderful person who loved his job and the school system and took pride in everything he did.

"We're very sad, that really goes without saying," Plunkett said Wednesday morning. "We've lost one of our family, and we are a family at Floyd County Schools. Our hearts hurt right now."

She said Davis' family will be in her prayers.

According to police, Davis' daughter was the ex-girlfriend of alleged gunman Robert Timothy Spriggs Jr. Police say Spriggs was trying to locate the woman at an East Clinton Drive home when he shot and injured the homeowner, Scott Sulsberger, 32. Sabrina Hall with the Floyd County Police Department was Sulsberger is the husband of the woman's sister.

12:50 a.m. update: The Floyd County Police Department has issued a press release. Scroll to the bottom of this story to read it.

Shooting suspect surrenders after manhunt

Two shootings in Floyd County on Tuesday rocked the local community, left one man dead, one injured and a third man charged with murder.

The first shooting occurred in the 4500 block of Old Dalton Road around 4:45 p.m. The second, related, shooting took place on East Clinton Drive off of Burnett Ferry Road.

Click here to see a Google map of the shooting locations reported.

One fatality has been confirmed, and Floyd County police detectives questioned the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Tim Spriggs, at the law enforcement center. He was booked on felony murder charges around 10 p.m.

Floyd County Deputy Coroner Ernie Studard identified the fatality as 46-year-old John Gregory Davis of 4565 Old Dalton Road.

Police and emergency crews responded to that location late Tuesday afternoon after reports that a man had been shot multiple times in the front yard of the residence there.

Floyd County police and Georgia State Patrol officers, as well as fire and rescue units, arrived on the scene to find Davis with several gunshot wounds.

Dispatchers from 911 reported that Spriggs, suspected of that shooting, was possibly heading toward a residence off Burnett Ferry Road. Rome police responded there about the same time that a call came into 911 from a female at 127 E. Clinton Drive.

Capt. Mark Wallace of the Floyd County Police Department said a “domestic issue” spilled over when Spriggs, the alleged gunman, went to that address around 5 p.m.

“He forced his way into the East Clinton address and got into an altercation with a male there. He then shot that male,” Wallace said.

The Rome-Floyd SWAT team, as well as police negotiators, were called to that location. It was unknown at the time if Spriggs was still in the house or had fled the residence.

Police later determined he had left the home, and EMTs were allowed to enter to tend to the man, Scott Sulsberger, who was shot. Dr. Paul Brock later told the Rome News-Tribune he had operated on the injured survivor.

Also at the East Clinton Drive residence were two women and an infant, according to police. Wallace said the women and baby were not injured but were taken to the hospital for evaluation.

The Rome Police Department and Floyd County Police Department are co-investigating the shootings and thanked all the agencies on the scene, including RPD, FCPD, Georgia State Patrol and Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

“It was a combined effort, and we needed it with this kind of crime,” Wallace said.

Floyd County Chief Deputy Tom Caldwell confirmed that Spriggs turned himself in to Floyd County police investigator Jeff Jones after Sheriff Tim Burkhalter talked to the fleeing man.

An obviously distraught Burkhalter was reeling Tuesday night from the long-distance negotiation where he talked to Spriggs via cell phone as the young man fled through the woods near the Hidden Valley subdivision off Burnett Ferry Road.

Spriggs was being pursued by local law enforcement in the wake of the two shootings.

Burkhalter is an old family friend of Spriggs and said he’s never in all of his 26 years of law enforcement had something hit so close to home.

“My primary concern was seeing this come to an end without him hurting himself or hurting a law enforcement officer,” said Burkhalter.

He said he has known Spriggs his whole life and described him as "a good kid who has never been in trouble.”

Spriggs is an Armuchee High graduate who served four years in the Air Force, which included deployment to Iraq. He later played football with the Shorter College Hawks.

Burkhalter said he knew Spriggs was “upset over an issue with his ex-girlfriend” after talking with him a couple of days ago.

The sheriff said Spriggs was troubled about a temporary protective order that had been issued against him.

On Tuesday, Burkhalter was in Savannah for a professional conference. When he got out of his sessions in late afternoon, he saw that he had several missed calls from Spriggs but no messages. Then he got a call from a family member who was concerned Spriggs might harm himself.

Just minutes later, the sheriff was notified of the shootings, Spriggs’ suspected involvement and the manhunt under way for him.

“I tried to call him a couple of times, and he finally answered his phone. He was running through the woods and said he was unarmed,” said Burkhalter. The sheriff was able to communicate with the SWAT team on site at the East Clinton Drive house, so that they could enter the house and handle the situation there that included the injured man.

“He was running the whole time he was talking to me. I was just trying to get him to stop and turn himself in,” said Burkhalter. “I was really worried he might try ‘suicide by cop.’ Even if he was unarmed, carrying a cell phone might look like he was armed. I told him that.”

He said Spriggs was adamant that he would only turn himself in to Burkhalter.

“I told him I was out of town and hours away, and this could not wait that long. I was worried someone else might die,” said Burkhalter.

So the sheriff contacted detective Jones and then talked to Spriggs and arranged for Jones to call him and handle his surrender.

Jones spoke with him, and Spriggs was taken into custody, without incident, ending a frantic several hours for local law enforcement agencies and a tragic night for the families.

Spriggs, of 4885 Old Dalton Road, is charged with felony murder, two counts of felony aggravated assault, felony burglary, felony theft by taking, felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and cruelty to children.

Staff Writers Jeff Gable and John Bailey and Editor Charlotte Atkins contributed to this report.

Click here to see a previous report about Tim Spriggs.

FLOYD COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT Statement released at 12:51 a.m. Wednesday by Investigator Sabrina Hall:

"On November 17, 2009 at approximately 4:45 pm, Robert Timothy Spriggs, Jr. went to the residence of John Gregory Davis at 4565 Old Dalton Road. An altercation ensued in the front yard, and Spriggs, age 26, shot Davis, age 46, several times, fatally wounding him. Davis was pronounced dead at the scene.

Spriggs fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle and traveled to 127 East Clinton Drive, in attempt to locate his ex-girlfriend, the daughter of the victim. Spriggs forcefully entered the residence and shot the homeowner, Scott Sulsberger, age 32, seriously injuring him. The accused then fled on foot into a wooded area near the second scene.

Following several phone conversations with his father and law enforcement, Spriggs emerged from the woods and surrendered himself to officials who transported him to the Floyd County Police station for questioning. Spriggs was later booked into Floyd County Jail on the following charges: Murder, 2 counts Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Theft by Taking, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime, and Cruelty to Children."
comments (139)
« NONEYA2009 wrote on Tuesday, Nov 24 at 12:40 AM »
I completely agree with you blessedami. I have written my last message on here. I can't imagine what both families are going through. I'll be honest, if that had happened to my father then anyone who has seen "A Time To Kill" knows what I would do. I'm sorry for all of the disrectful comments wrote on here to both families. God Bless all of you.
« blessedami wrote on Tuesday, Nov 24 at 12:19 AM »
Hi everyone. I would like to respectfully ask everyone to stop arguing on this topic. Families and friends on both sides are hurting and to be honest, this type of negativity just makes it worse. Please place yourselves in the shoes of others and take the petty arguments elsewhere. This really isn't the place or time for such. Thank you in advance for your respect.
« NONEYA2009 wrote on Monday, Nov 23 at 11:34 PM »
BENICE-I copy and pasted the same message twice because I realized that my original message said that I "attended" Berry College. I went back to clarify that I actually "graduated" from Berry College. My grammar is excellent but I was obviously typing too fast when making the mistake of saying that "I know live in Buckhead" opposed to "I NOW live in Buckhead". Also, you don't have to thank me for leaving. I did cartwheels naked down Broad Street the second after that degree was handed to me. You are just sad because you have to live in Rome still and I seriously feel bad for you.

#1-Rome is 60% poor African Americans & 40% ignorant rednecks.

#2-Every time you pull into a gas station you get approached by someone with some lame story of why they need you to drive them somewhere or why you should give them money.

#3-There are what...........3 bars in Rome(and the best one is the "Peach Palace".......that place is a dump)

#4-When you cross over the Floyd County line you become suicidal.

#5-Besides Berry & Shorter College, and Darlington, all the public schools there are garbage. I would never in a million years send my children to a public school in Rome.

ROMANFRIEND-The only reason I went to Berry is because I was on a full baseball scholarship. I didn't pay a dime for tuition....that's probably the reason I didn't know whether it was $20,000, $30,000, or $40,000 a year to go there. Either way it didn't matter because I can hit a baseball.

GRANNYCHERRY1952-You are too precious. You're comment actually put a smile on my face. Have a good night. :)

Last but not least....I still will be praying for both of the family's that were involved in this terrible tragedy. I apologize for implying that Tim doesn't deserve what's coming to him. Nobody has a right to take away anyones life besides God. Either way, God will never take you to anything that you can't get through. God bless everyone.

« grannycherry1952 wrote on Monday, Nov 23 at 04:21 PM »
NONEYA2009: Just because you go to a psychologist doesn't mean you earned a degree in psychology...

A trained medical professional would not conduct themselves the way you have been doing.

« g1e9n45 wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 10:20 PM »
« BENICE wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 04:29 PM »
You "know live in Buckhead"? Not a typo because you wrote it twice. Guess that expensive education didn't get you much :) Again, thanks for leaving.

I have known everyone on both sides of this story since I was 5. Grew up with both families who were all very close and remain close now. A lot of healing needs to take place. The funeral is over, Greg is resting. Please continue to pray for all involved. Everyone on both sides lost someone special to them this week.
« anonymous wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 03:55 PM »
NONEYA2009,

I doubt you even attended any college.

Do you know the difference between the words now and know?

I guess not.

« romanfriend wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 02:41 PM »
Noney- You are an embarrassment to anyone who went to Berry. If you actually went there, you would know how much it really costs to go there. You just about doubled the cost.

You say you got a "specialist degree", does that mean you went to grad school there? I am pretty sure that they require you to have decent grammar skills to graduate from any program at Berry. Also, if you were spending so much money to go to a school in a city you hate, why didn't you leave? There are many schools out there just like Berry that don't require you to live in Rome.

Saying all of that, I doubt you actually went to Berry.
« NONEYA2009 wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 01:13 PM »
HAHAHAHAHA I GRADUATED* IN DECEMBER OF 2008 FROM BERRY COLLEGE($40,000 A YEAR) WITH A SPECIALIST DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY. I KNOW LIVE IN BUCKHEAD,GA. AS I SAID BEFORE, ALL OF YOU ARE "ROME TRASH". I'M SO GLAD I LEFT ROME. HOW DO YOU PEOPLE LIVE THERE? SERIOUSLY?
« NONEYA2009 wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 01:12 PM »
HAHAHAHAHA I ATTENDED BERRY COLLEGE($40,000 A YEAR) PEOPLE WITH A SPECIALIST DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY. I KNOW LIVE IN BUCKHEAD,GA. AS I SAID BEFORE, ALL OF YOU ARE "ROME TRASH". I'M SO GLAD I LEFT ROME. HOW DO YOU PEOPLE LIVE THERE? SERIOUSLY?
« BENICE wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 07:56 PM »
Noney, thanks for leaving.
« RomeWrecker wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 07:13 PM »
What if you're not a "true Christian"? What if you don't put any stock into the ancient writings of people with a limited understanding of the world around them?

Can we judge this sicko murderer then?
« EmersomBiggins wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 07:04 PM »
NONEYA2009...

For the record, I am a he not a "she"...

and please tell us what college you attended / graduated from so we all will know where NOT to send our children. For someone with a college education, your "mad dawg" typing "skillz" shows otherwise... yo.
« NONEYA2009 wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 06:42 PM »
Hey I know It! Guess what????? Tim Spriggs has been one of my best friends for 8 years now. I went to college with him in ROME,GA where i USED to live. I am saying that Rome,GA is an absolute craphole town with nothing in it and "IF" i still had to live there I would either probably kill my self or the whole town b/c it is a suicidal place. I hate the breathing Rome,GA air and seeing the repugnant rednecks who live there. So, honey...........IT IS MY BUSINESS,it's just not you're BUSINESS TO TALK ABOUT ME WHEN UR NOT IN THE CONVERSATION! SO SHUT YOUR YAPPER!
« mizo wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 05:52 PM »
You are completely right weasel4u! Everyone needs to quit passing judgment. What happened was a tragedy, but WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE! If you are a TRUE CHRISTIAN then you would know that only GOD has the right to judge a person by their actions. MORE THAN ONE FAMILY WAS INVOLVED IN THIS TRAGEDY!!! We need focus on praying for everyone that was involved and quit gossiping. There are two sides to every story and only God knows the whole truth about what happened. All everyone else knows is hearsay from each side and it is never 100% true as to what really happened. So get off your pedestal and look in the mirror and look back at all the sins you have committed or are still committing that are tucked away in the back of your closet.

Some words of wisdom:

John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Matthew 7:1 Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

Romans 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

« anonymous wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 03:24 PM »
NONEYA2009

So why do you care what is going on in Rome,GA?

Take the trash talk somewhere else.
« iKnowIt wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 02:32 PM »
Um, Noney...if you don't even live around here, then shouldn't posters here be telling you to mind your own business? This was a friend to a lot of us here that lost his life, so it appears to me that this IS our business. I find it kind of strange that someone with no ties to either family would be posting here unless it was just to stir the pot one way or another.
« iKnowIt wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 02:30 PM »
I personally don't get how he could possibly get by with a "temporary insanity" plea...he parked his jeep across the street and was laying in wait to ambush Greg when he got home. If that isn't pre-meditated murder, then what is?
« OICU812 wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 08:49 AM »
Just curious ... if you don't live anywhere near Rome, then why do you frequent the Rome News-Tribune's Web site?
« NONEYA2009 wrote on Friday, Nov 20 at 08:28 AM »
Hey OLD FOGEY! This is a blog section. I don't even live anywhere near trash Rome, GA. But I do find it amusing that you think my statements should be recorded and should have law enforcement come check on me. HAHAHA NEWS FLASH-------I DID'NT COMMIT MURDER. I'm a great person with a college degree and the convo between me and Emerson just led up to me telling her how I really feel. Which once again is things like this happier everyday so I don't care. People get crazy and do stupid things. I am praying 4 both of the families. Whatever happens to this "COLD BLOODED MURDERER" happens. Whatever. The stuff happens everyday. So mind your own business.