Talking Rock man arrested after altercation led to shooting
A Talking Rock man was arrested and another man was taken to the hospital following a shooting.
Deputies responded to a person being shot at the intersection of Parksbrook Road and Parksbrook Lane Aug. 17, at 9:42 a.m., according to an incident report.
When deputies arrived, they found Michael Howell sitting on the bed of a pickup truck with a tourniquet around his left thigh to staunch the bleeding. Gilmer County Deputy Zachary Harter-Ray moved to tighten the tourniquet and render aid until EMS arrived.
Howell was transported to Kennestone Hospital.
Deputies took statements from the witnesses gathered in the area while other deputies located two men farther down the road.
Damien Lee Finley, 23, of Talking Rock, said he and the other man were riding by Howell, who was playing music in his truck and yelled out something. Howell began chasing the truck, according to the report.
Finley said they stopped and confronted Howell. During the altercation, the report said Howell struck the other man with Finley.
At some point a man with Howell pulled a shotgun, but was disarmed by someone else.
“Damien [Finley] stated that Michael then attempted to attack him and that he shot Michael [Howell],” according to the incident report.
Gilmer deputies recovered a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver from Finley’s truck.
Finley was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, according to the report.