Screwdriver-wielding man shot by Commerce police officers
The GBI is investigating after a Commerce officer-involved shooting happened on July 16, 2026. (FOX 5)
COMMERCE, Ga. - A man is in critical condition after two officers shot him when he aggressively charged toward them with a screwdriver in Commerce, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.
The GBI is leading an independent probe into the shooting at the request of the Commerce Police Department.
What we know:
Commerce police officers first responded to a 911 call regarding a domestic dispute on Forest Avenue.
The caller told emergency dispatchers that a man had kicked in a door and threatened people inside the home before running to another property in the 200 block of Orchard Drive, authorities said.
Responding officers initially arrived at the Forest Road scene at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Law enforcement investigating 2 scenes in North Georgia
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is probing two separate law enforcement incidents that unfolded overnight in Jackson and Hall counties, including an officer-involved shooting.
At about 6:45 p.m. Thursday, officers tracked the suspect down at the Orchard Drive home.
When they encountered the man, he was armed with a screwdriver and moving rapidly toward them, officials said.
Officers gave verbal commands for the man to slow down and stop, but he refused to comply, authorities allege.
The man charged directly at the officers while holding the screwdriver in an aggressive manner, prompting two officers to open fire and hit him several times, according to the GBI.
The injured man was then taken to a local hospital, where he remains under medical care in critical condition. No police officers were injured in the exchange.
The GIB identified the injured suspect as 22-year-old Levi Long.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released the identity or age of the man who was shot during the confrontation. The names and ranks of the two officers who opened fire have not been publicly disclosed by the department.
Officials have not confirmed what specific legal charges the man will face upon his release from the medical center.
The relationship between the suspect and the people he allegedly threatened during the initial domestic dispute remains unconfirmed.
What's next:
Once state agents complete their independent investigation into the shooting, the case file will be turned over to the Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for a formal review.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, who confirmed they are investigating the officer-involved shooting.