Man Armed with Crossbow Accused of Attempted Abduction Near Minnehaha Falls

On Thursday, May 29, 2025, deputies with the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office and agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Jack Thomas Harkins, 34, of Tiger, Georgia, on one count of aggravated assault following an attempted abduction reported earlier in the week near a popular hiking area.

According to investigators, the incident occurred around the morning hours of Monday, May 26, 2025, on Bear Gap Road near Minnehaha Falls, an area commonly frequented by hikers and dog walkers. A woman was walking her dog when she was approached by a man driving a gray or silver Ford F-150 pickup truck. The man, later identified as Harkins, allegedly pointed a crossbow at the woman and ordered her to get into his truck.

The woman immediately fled on foot and reported the incident to authorities. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, and the Criminal Investigations Division initiated a search of the area. Alerts and public warnings were posted to the Lake Rabun Homeowners Association and Lake Rabun Association Facebook pages, urging caution and requesting information from the public.

With assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, authorities were able to develop Harkins as a suspect. On May 29, deputies and GBI agents located and arrested Harkins in Rabun County. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Rabun County Detention Center, where he was booked on an aggravated assault charge.

The case remains active and ongoing. Upon completion of the investigation, the case will be turned over to the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Sheriff Mark Gerrells thanked members of the Lake Rabun and Lake Seed communities for their vigilance and support, which he said contributed to the safe and swift resolution of the case.