GBI investigating Carrollton shooting, officer seriously injured, suspect dead in child abuse operation

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding a shooting in Carrollton that left one man dead and a Carroll County police officer seriously injured. The officer is now in critical condition following the incident, which occurred during the execution of a search warrant in connection with an ongoing child exploitation investigation, as detailed in an official statement from the agency.

On the morning of August 20, at approximately 8:30 a.m., local officers, accompanied by GBI agents, arrived at a residence on the 300 block of Don Rich Drive to serve a search warrant in connection with the investigation. The suspect, identified as Christopher Bly, 40, opened the door for the officers and then retreated into the home. At that point, Bly fired a firearm, resulting in his own death and seriously injuring one of the officers involved. The officer was then airlifted to an Atlanta hospital, where he remains in intensive care.

Preliminary findings from the incident suggest that Bly’s wound was self-inflicted, according to evidence collected at the crime scene. The GBI’s Atlanta Regional Office has taken the lead in further investigating this incident, while the Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, which initially obtained the warrant, seized several electronic devices from the home that contained child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Because the GBI investigation is ongoing, details about the case are limited, but the case will be thoroughly investigated before being turned over to the Carroll County Prosecutor’s Office for review. The legal process that still needs to take place will attempt to clarify the sequence of events and context that underscored such a tragic outcome. In the meantime, the name of the deputy sheriff has not been released, and further updates on their condition and the findings of the investigation will be shared as they become available.