GBI Arrests One Man in Shooting Investigation in Parking Lot of Thomasville Whataburger

Thomasville, Georgia (March 1, 2024) – The GBI has arrested and charged Lucas Williams, age 38, of Thomasville, GA, with two counts of aggravated assault in relation to a shooting that took place in the Whataburger parking lot in Thomasville, Georgia around 4:25 a.m. on Thursday, February 29, 2024. The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI to investigate because Williams, one of the people involved in the shooting, is affiliated with the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team as a medic. Williams is not a certified peace officer and served as a SWAT medic in a support capacity of the team. He was not involved with any SWAT operations at the time this incident took place.  

The investigation shows Williams was at the Whataburger waiting on another person when he had some type of disagreement with a man in the drive-thru line in another car. Williams got out of his vehicle with a pistol and walked towards the driver of the car who was at the drive-thru window waiting for his food. The man got out of his car with a rifle and went to the rear of the parking lot away from Williams where he ran to a neighboring business and then crossed Highway 19. As the man was crossing Highway 19, Williams allegedly shot at the man multiple times. The man never shot at Williams during the incident. Nobody was hit by the gunfire; however, one of the pistol rounds hit a gas pump at the Raceway gas station which was recovered across Highway 19 from the Whataburger.  

Williams was booked into the Thomas County Jail.  

When complete, the case file will be turned over to the District Attorney’s Office in Thomasville for their prosecution. 

This case is active and ongoing. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the GBI regional investigative office in Thomasville at 229-225-4090. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.