06/24/2026
🚨 DEADLY SHOOTING & OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING UPDATE 🚨
Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan has identified the man killed in Tuesday’s officer-involved shooting as 33-year-old Jerome Willis.
According to Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis and Coroner Bryan, Willis was the suspect responsible for the fatal shooting of 44-year-old Alexis Hill inside the Dollar General on Victory Drive earlier in the day.
Investigators say Willis allegedly shot Hill before leaving the scene. After the homicide, Columbus police officers began searching for the suspect and later encountered Willis on Baker Plaza Drive near the former Muscogee County Elementary School.
During the encounter, officials say gunfire was exchanged between Willis and responding officers. One Columbus police officer suffered a superficial gunshot wound, and a Columbus Police K-9 named Havoc was shot and airlifted to Auburn for treatment.
Both the officer and K-9 are expected to survive.
Willis was killed during the officer-involved shooting. Deputy Coroner Dustin Harrelson pronounced Willis deceased at the scene at 1:16 p.m.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure in all officer-involved shootings in Georgia.
Columbus Police are continuing their investigation into the homicide on Victory Drive.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation.
