Waycross Man Arrested for Shooting at SUV and Exchanging Gunfire with Police
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested Devonte Deshawn Williams, 28, of Waycross, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in connection with a shooting incident involving a white Chevrolet Equinox and an exchange of gunfire with Waycross Police officers. Williams faces multiple charges, including three counts of Aggravated Assault Against Law Enforcement Officers and Cruelty to Children in the First Degree.
The incident began on Monday, June 30, 2025, at approximately 9:30 p.m., when Waycross Police Department officers near Ketterer Street and N. Crawford Street witnessed a person in a ski mask fire shots at a passing white Chevrolet Equinox. Officers exited their unmarked vehicle and pursued the masked individual on foot. During the chase, gunfire was exchanged between the officers and the masked suspect, who subsequently escaped into nearby woods. A perimeter was established, and Georgia Department of Corrections K-9s were deployed but were unable to locate the shooter. No officers or citizens were injured in the exchange.
As agents investigated, the targeted SUV was located, and Williams was identified as the pedestrian who shot at the vehicle. The occupants of the SUV, including a 2-year-old child, were determined to have played no part in the incident. Williams was later located at his home and taken into custody without incident. He had sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, was treated at Waycross Memorial Hospital, and has since been released.
Williams is currently being held at the Ware County Jail. He has been charged with:
- Three counts of Aggravated Assault Against Law Enforcement Officers
- Three counts of Aggravated Assault
- One count of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree
- Two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
- Six counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime
The GBI extended its gratitude to the Waycross Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol, and the Georgia Department of Corrections for their assistance in the investigation, crediting their collaboration for bringing the situation to a safe conclusion.
The GBI’s investigation into the incident is ongoing.
