- Racist man harasses Black family, returns with assault rifle, sparking gunfire exchange
- Family member shoots attacker in self-defense, no serious injuries reported
- Incident leaves lasting emotional trauma, underscores urgent need to address hate crimes
According to reporting by WALB, a Georgia family says what began as a peaceful gathering in Lee County turned into a terrifying incident like something from the 1950s when a white man allegedly drove past their home shouting racial slurs before returning armed with an AR-15-style rifle and body armor.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the incident unfolded on June 7 on Autumn Leaf Drive in Leesburg. Family members told WALB that they were outside enjoying a gathering when a vehicle passed by and the driver, later identified as 36-year-old Jeffrey Tyler Kinzer, allegedly began yelling the N-word and other racist remarks at the predominantly Black group. Witnesses said the family initially tried to ignore the harassment and continued their fellowship after Kinzer left.
“He’s talking junk. He started yelling the ‘N-word,’” Ramell Green, a witness said. “He kept going so we let him go. We just discussed what had happened after.”
However, family members said the situation escalated dramatically when Kinzer returned. Witnesses told WALB that he arrived wearing body armor and carrying an AR-15-style rifle. According to relatives, Kinzer allegedly opened fire toward the gathering, causing life-or-death chaos as people scrambled for cover and safety. Several people, including children, were reportedly present during the incident. Witnesses described the encounter as a racially motivated attack and said they feared someone would be killed.
Authorities said deputies responded to multiple reports of an active shooting and determined the violence stemmed from what they described as a verbal altercation. During the exchange of gunfire, Kinzer was shot and injured by a member of the family. Relatives told WALB the family member fired in self-defense after Kinzer allegedly began shooting at them. Kinzer survived the gunshot wound and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
“…People started taking positions because they saw he had a gun. And I was in the middle of the street,” Green said. “And I grabbed my gun and started returning fire and moving with him.”
Thank God these folks were armed and prepared to defend themselves against the hatred that infests America in 2026.
After being cleared by medical personnel, Kinzer was booked into the Lee County Jail. The sheriff’s office charged him with aggravated assault, though investigators indicated that additional charges could be forthcoming as the case remains under review. Officials have not announced whether any hate-crime-related charges will be pursued but hate crime charges should absolutely be pursued. Why is this even in question? The man calls a bunch of Black people ni**ers and shoots at them with a rifle. It doesn’t get any clearer that he hated them and wanted them dead.
For the family, the shooting left lasting emotional scars. They told WALB they believe they were targeted because they were Black and said the racist language allegedly used before the gunfire makes the motive clear.
“It’s so hurtful. I cried all night,” Loucindi Broussard, another witness, said. “I’m laying outside on the ground for a shootout. I’m under a car with my sister who is 77 and I’m 62.”
While no family members were reported seriously injured, relatives say the incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly racist hostility can escalate into potentially deadly violence.
