GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Pulaski County

Hawkinsville, GA (March 15, 2022) – The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Hawkinsville, Pulaski County, GA. The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on March 15, 2022. No one was injured during the incident.

At approximately 2:05 p.m., the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a domestic call on Unadilla Highway in Pulaski County. When deputies arrived, they saw Phillip Rivers, age 38 of Orlando, Florida, and a woman passenger parked at the entrance of a residence. Rivers drove away from the scene, striking the deputy’s patrol vehicle. At this time, the deputy heard gunshots that he thought was coming from inside the fleeing car. The deputy shot at the fleeing car. As the deputy was shooting at the car, he realized the gunfire was coming from the resident of the house where the vehicle was parked. The resident was shooting at the vehicle because he thought the vehicle had the deputy pinned between the vehicles.

A chase ensued and Rivers eventually lost control of his car on Highway 341 in Pulaski County. Rivers and the woman ran from the wreck and were captured a short time later in the area. 

Rivers was arrested and charged with two counts of Felony Fleeing, Criminal Interference with Government Property, and numerous traffic offenses.

The GBI will conduct an independent investigation of the officer involved shooting. Once complete, the case file will be turned over to the Oconee District Attorney’s Office for review.