Bodycam and surveillance footage show a heated Aug. 27 confrontation between Warm Springs Sgt. Chris Fisher and Jimmy Lee Steverson at a Marathon gas station; the bodycam recording contains a roughly 20-second gap during a physical struggle. Steverson was arrested afterward on marijuana, firearm and obstruction charges and was released on bond. Five days later, on Sept. 1, GBI says Steverson pulled a pickup alongside Fisher’s patrol car and shot the 36-year-old sergeant; Steverson was later found with an apparent self-inflicted wound and died at a South Carolina hospital. The GBI continues to investigate and has released recordings to local media.
Bodycam Captures Heated Gas-Station Confrontation Days Before Warm Springs Sergeant Was Fatally Shot
Image Credit: Fox 5 Atlanta / YouTube.
Newly released footage shows a tense Aug. 27 encounter between Warm Springs Police Sgt. Chris Fisher and Jimmy Lee Steverson — an exchange that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says occurred five days before Fisher was fatally shot while seated in his patrol vehicle.
Bodycam and Surveillance Footage
Body-worn camera video released to local media captures the officers' interaction at a Marathon gas station. Sgt. Fisher approached Steverson’s pickup after saying he smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle as it passed with the windows down. Steverson denied smoking and repeatedly questioned whether Fisher could have detected an odor from the position Fisher described.
The encounter became physical. The bodycam records Fisher ordering Steverson to turn around and drop items he was holding, then abruptly stops; it resumes about 20 seconds later with Steverson on the ground and the struggle already underway. Warm Springs Police told reporters the camera was struck or knocked from Fisher’s vest and entered an emergency mode.
A separate, more distant surveillance camera captured part of the confrontation and, according to local outlets, shows the two men wrestling but does not clearly show who struck first. Warm Springs police say Fisher attempted a leg sweep, fell backward with Steverson landing on top of him, and that both men exchanged blows after getting back to their feet. Officers report Fisher deployed a Taser; only one probe made contact before Steverson was placed in handcuffs.
Arrest, Charges and Release
Warm Springs Police arrested Steverson on marijuana, firearm and obstruction charges following the gas-station altercation. Court records reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution say he was booked and released on bond about 12 hours later. Police records also indicate Fisher alleged Steverson struck him in the face with a closed fist during the portion of the struggle not continuously captured on the body camera.
Shooting and Aftermath
Five days later, on the night of Sept. 1, Fisher was back on duty outside the Meriwether County Inn. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Fisher had just finished assisting with an unrelated traffic stop and was seated in his patrol car at about 11:57 p.m. when a black Chevrolet Silverado pulled up beside him. GBI agents identified the driver as Steverson and say he fired multiple rounds into the patrol vehicle, striking the 36-year-old sergeant. Fisher was pronounced dead at the scene.
The next morning, deputies in Anderson County, South Carolina, stopped another vehicle in which Steverson was a passenger and found him with what the GBI described as an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital in Anderson, where he later died.
Investigation
The GBI released the body-camera and surveillance footage to local media outlets while it continues its investigation. Authorities have not publicly released a motive and have provided the timeline and recorded exchanges as part of the ongoing probe.
Note: The released videos include gaps and distant angles that leave parts of the physical confrontation unclear. Reporting is based on footage released to media and statements from Warm Springs Police and the GBI.
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