Griffin, GA – A tragic incident unfolded in Spalding County, Georgia, resulting in the fatal shooting of a Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Deputy, identified as Sergeant Marc McIntyre, age 55. The unfortunate incident occurred while responding to a welfare check at Todd Harper’s residence on Deason Road. Harper, aged 57, opened fire on deputies upon their arrival, leading to the fatal shooting of Sgt. McIntyre. The suspect, Todd, was taken into custody following a tense standoff with law enforcement officials.
Sheriff Darrell Dix provided details about the distressing event, indicating that Todd Harper fired shots from a window using a shotgun as deputies approached the residence. Sgt. Marc McIntyre suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head during the altercation. Despite efforts to aid him, Marc McIntyre was pronounced dead at the hospital. Another deputy sustained a hand injury but was not shot and is currently receiving treatment.
A Spalding County Deputy has just been shot, and is in critical condition.
That is now 3 officers shot in the last 12 hours.
Please keep this deputy in your thoughts/prayers, and all law enforcement, as the historic violence against us rages on.
It is absolutely disgusting…
— Joe Gamaldi (@JoeGamaldi) December 29, 2023
Todd Harper, identified as the suspect, engaged in a standoff with law enforcement after barricading himself inside the house. Despite attempts to negotiate, Todd Harper did not surrender. Law enforcement agencies, including the GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation), were involved in the standoff, which lasted several hours. The suspect was eventually found hiding under a bed inside the residence and was arrested. Dix noted that Harper was combative during the arrest and had to be carried to the vehicle.
The tragic incident marked a devastating loss for the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, as Sgt. McIntyre was remembered as a respected supervisor and military veteran. Todd Harper has been arrested and charged with murder, booked into the Spalding County Jail, and is currently in custody. The investigation into this heartbreaking event continues under the purview of the GBI.
