Tuesday, December 2, 2025–12:30 p.m.
GBI News Release-
At the request of the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, GBI Agents are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Bartow County, GA. One man was shot and killed. No deputies were injured during the incident.
Preliminary information indicates that around 4:50 p.m. on December 1, 2025, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office deputies and investigators, along with the State Fire Marshals’ Office, executed a search warrant at a home on GA-20 Spur in Cartersville, Georgia, in reference to a death investigation. Deputies and investigators arrived, and Dylan Burl Rice, age 39, of Cartersville, GA, refused to exit the home. Law enforcement deployed flashbangs into the home. Rice then exited the back door of the home with what appeared to be a shotgun or rifle. Deputies attempted to use less-lethal foam and pepper rounds on Rice. Rice then pointed the gun towards the deputies, and the deputies shot and killed Rice. Investigators later determined that the gun Rice was holding was a pellet air rifle.
An autopsy will be completed on Rice at the GBI’s Medical Examiner’s Office.
The GBI will conduct an independent investigation, and upon completion of the investigation, it will be provided to the Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
According to Bartow County Sheriff Clark Millsap:
The Bartow County Criminal Investigation Division was assisting the State Fire Marshal’s Office in investigating a suspicious fire with a fatality that occurred on Thanksgiving night at 5754 Highway 20 in Cartersville.
After interviewing multiple individuals throughout the day, a person of interest, Dylan Rice (age 39), son of the deceased female, Lynda Miller (age 69), from the fire, was identified.
A search warrant for Dylan Rice’s residence, 229 Spur 20, Cartersville, GA, was issued and was being executed by the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, Bartow County Special Operations, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office at approximately 4:50 p.m.
Contact was made with Rice, which led to an officer-involved shooting.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested to investigate the incident.
We recognize the seriousness of this incident and are committed to keeping the public informed through official channels.
No further comments are to be expected from the Sheriff’s Office pertaining to the incident.
