LEESBURG, Ga. (WALB) — 36-year-old Jeffrey Tyler Kinzer opened fire with an AR-15 rifle at a family gathering in Leesburg on Sunday, June 7. Kinzer was released on a $5,000 bond, leaving the community with several questions.

Kinzer, who reportedly works as a firefighter at the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, was charged with one count of aggravated assault. The family said they demand more charges.

At about 9 p.m. on June 7, family members said they were standing in the front yard when a car drove past the home. Jeffrey Tyler Kinzer, who officials identified as the suspect, was reportedly leaning out of the window, shouting racial slurs at the group.

“He’s talking junk. He started yelling the ‘N-word,’” Ramell Green, a witness said.

Witnesses said that Kinzer left but then came back about five minutes later, wearing body armor and carrying an AR-15 rifle.

The sheriff’s office reported that the situation stemmed from a “verbal altercation.”

Still, questions about this incident are streaming in. WALB contacted District Attorney Lewis Lamb for clarification on multiple points, such as the following:

• Why do you believe aggravated assault was the only charge? From your expertise, why wasn’t there an attempted murder charge or criminal offenses involving children, because children were present? What other charges do you believe could be added?
• What about a hate crime? It’s not a criminal offense in Georgia, but it can enhance punishments if proven. Do you believe this shooting was a hate crime?

At about 5 p.m. on June 27, DA Lamb responded with this statement:

“The June 7th shooting on Autumn Leaf Drive remains under active investigation. My office and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office jointly requested the assistance of the GBI in the ongoing investigation. ”

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) confirmed that it was requested to assist in the investigation on June 11.

Any individuals with information or video footage of the incident are asked to contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 3 Field Office at 229-931-2439.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1(800) 597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online or by downloading the “See Something, Send Something” mobile app.

WALB will provide updates as we learn more. Stay with us on air and online.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, Instagram and X. For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.