Valdosta Police Confront Violence From Victim’s Own Family During Shooting Response
VALDOSTA, GA – What began as a shooting investigation early Sunday morning turned chaotic when officers attempting to save a gunshot victim were attacked by members of the victim’s own family.
Around 3 a.m. on October 12, 2025, two Valdosta Police Officers were working an extra-duty detail in the parking lot of Dad’s to Go, located at 515 East Gordon Street, when they heard gunfire coming from inside the business. As patrons fled, the officers entered through the crowd and found 18-year-old Harvey Caleb Freeman suffering from a gunshot wound to the torso.
One officer began searching for the shooter while the other moved Freeman outside to render first aid. As additional officers and Lowndes County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to assist, the victim’s brothers, Harvey Anthony Freeman II, 21, and Harvey Antonio Freeman, 20, began shoving officers, interfering with efforts to provide lifesaving aid. When officers pushed them back, the brothers tried to strike officers, and one deputy was punched in the face during the struggle.
Both brothers were arrested and removed from the scene. Valdosta Fire Department and South Georgia Medical Center EMS transported the victim to the hospital before he was airlifted to a Florida facility, where he remains in stable but critical condition.
Detectives later reviewed surveillance footage and identified the shooter as a 16-year-old male. Warrants have been issued for Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Minor, and Reckless Conduct.
- Harvey Anthony Freeman II was charged with two counts of Felony Obstruction of an Officer and Terroristic Threats (Misdemeanor).
- Harvey Antonio Freeman was charged with Felony Obstruction of an Officer.
Chief Leslie Manahan expressed outrage over the brothers’ actions.
“Our officers were doing everything possible to save this man’s life, yet they were attacked by his own family,” said Chief Manahan. “That interference cost precious seconds that could have made a difference—not only jeopardizing the victim’s life but also preventing officers from searching for an armed offender who could have still been nearby.”
The Valdosta Police Department urges anyone with information to contact the Investigations Bureau at 229-293-3145 or the crime tip line at 229-293-3091.
