GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Byron, GA

10/24/23 UPDATE

The GBI has secured arrest warrants for Kory Karpich for the following offenses: 

* Possession of drug related objects

* Possession of methamphetamine 

* Fleeing or alluding a police officer

* Obstruction 

* Theft by receiving/Possessing Stolen Property.

ORIGINAL RELEASE

Byron, GA (October 24, 2023) – The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Byron, Peach County, Georgia. The Byron Police Department asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on Monday, October 23, 2023. One man was shot and injured. No officers were injured in this incident.

Preliminary information indicates that Byron PD officers received information from the 911 center in reference to a stolen car from the Atlanta area possibly being in Byron, Peach County, Georgia. Officers began to check the area to locate a Silver 2018 Volkswagen Atlas that was reported stolen. Police located the Volkswagen at a McDonalds in Byron off of Highway 49. The car was unoccupied.  A Byron Police Officer tried to locate the driver. At that time, a man, later identified as Kory Matyas Karpich, age 37, of Gainesville, Georgia, left the restaurant and got into the stolen car. The officer instructed Karpich to get out of the car, but he refused to follow instructions. After Karpich failed to follow instructions, the officer broke a window to enter the car. Karpich continued to ignore the officer’s commands. The officer used his Taser; however, the Taser was ineffective. During this time, Karpich started to drive the car and ended up hitting the McDonalds building as well as the officer’s patrol car. The officer’s car was parked directly behind the stolen car. The officer shot into the moving car multiple times, hitting Karpich. Karpich drove away from the scene and Byron PD officers began to chase after him. Eventually, Karpich crashed his car in Bibb County, and he was taken into custody without further incident. 

Karpich was taken to a medical center in Macon for treatment. He is expected to recover from his injuries.

The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Once complete, the case file will be given to the Bibb Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.