GBI investigating fatal shooting of Ringgold, Georgia, man who pointed gun at Catoosa County deputies

Patrick Filbin, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn.
·2 min read

Mar. 3—The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the case of a Ringgold, Georgia, man who was shot and killed Friday by a Catoosa County Sheriff's Office deputy.

The incident occurred during a warrant arrest call that ended in a standoff and the fatal shooting.

Deputies had responded several times Friday to a home in the 12900 block of Alabama Highway in Ringgold, where 54-year-old Fred Bowman "Bo" Trundle had a felony probation warrant out for his arrest. Later that night, the 911 dispatch center received a suspicious call from the residence, and deputies reached the scene at about 11 p.m. to investigate.

When deputies arrived, Trundle retreated from his backyard into the home. Deputies then tried to use a stun gun to subdue Trundle but it didn't work, authorities said. Inside the home, Trundle hid in a bedroom as deputies yelled to try and get him out, according to a report from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Trundle eventually came out of the bedroom but was holding a shotgun and threatened to shoot the deputies, authorities said.

"In order to de-escalate [the situation] and take more tactical positions, deputies exited the residence and began to negotiate with Trundle to surrender," the GBI reported.

About 45 minutes after deputies arrived, Trundle came out to the front porch and refused to obey verbal commands to drop the shotgun. Trundle then allegedly pointed the shotgun at the nearest deputy "in a lethal manner," according to the report.

A deputy then fired multiple times at Trundle, hitting him. Trundle retreated back into the home after he was shot.

At about 2:30 a.m. deputies made their way into the home and found Trundle had died from the gunshots.

No officers were injured in the incident. The GBI will complete an independent investigation and, once complete, it will be turned over to the Catoosa County District Attorney's Office for review.

Joe Montgomery, special agent in charge with the GBI, was out of the office Wednesday and could not return a call. Catoosa County Sheriff Gary Sisk did not immediately return a call Wednesday.

Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.