DA will not pursue charges in fatal officer-involved shooting

Mar. 23—The district attorney will not pursue criminal prosecution in an officer-involved shooting in Camden County in 2020.

Keith Higgins, district attorney for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, announced Tuesday his office will not bring charges against the officer who shot a man during a domestic dispute.

Kingsland Police Department officers responded around 11 p.m. Aug. 23, 2020, to a 911 caller who reported hearing someone screaming at a residence at Camden Way apartments, according to the police report.

Upon arrival, police saw a woman and a man, later identified to be Gearil L. Williams, sitting inside, per the report.

Williams barricaded the door to prevent police from entering, police said. The woman ran to a back bedroom and was pursued by Williams.

Police entered by breaking the bedroom window and found Williams holding the woman and threatening her with a knife.

When Williams made a motion to harm the woman, a police officer fired his weapon and shot Williams, who was declared dead at the scene, according to the report.

Higgins met privately with members of the family and with community leaders before announcing his decision not to pursue charges, according to a statement released Tuesday by the district attorney's office.

"While any loss of life is always tragic, the officer's use of force in this instance was justified to protect a life," he said.

Higgins' office will provide access to a redacted version of the investigative case file online at www.brunswickda.org. The redacted investigative file will not contain any personal identifying information or graphic images.