Theft/Property — Lawrenceville, GA — reported 2026-06-30

KEY FACTS

  • Incident type: Theft/Property
  • Location: Lawrenceville, GA
  • Date reported: 2026-06-30
  • Suspect: male, age 38
  • Victim(s): 1 (K-9 handler, Sgt. Neil Butler)
  • Status: arrest/charge/investigation status: sentenced

REPORTED DETAILS

  • James Edward Perkins was sentenced to 110 years in prison for shooting a K-9 handler during a high-speed chase.
  • Perkins led police on a 30-minute high-speed chase down county roads, exceeding 80 mph at times.
  • A police helicopter was deployed during the chase to track Perkins.
  • Perkins crashed the car into a fence near a Lawrenceville apartment complex and claimed to have a bomb.
  • He then shot Sgt. Neil Butler, a sheriff's office K-9 handler, in the shoulder, seriously injuring him.