AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – A shooting involving a deputy is under investigation in Augusta.

Authorities say at around 11:23 a.m. on Saturday, July 8th, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1200 block of Ellis Street in reference to a subject with a gun.

During the incident, a deputy, now identified as Dep. Kenneth Mercer, and the subject were shot at least one time. Dep. Mercer was transported to the hospital for treatment.

According to the Richmond County Coroner’s Office, the subject involved was a homeless person, who was pronounced dead on the scene at 1:46 p.m. Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen has identified him as 36-year-old Duterval Sejour.

“The Coroner’s Office has exhausted all resources in an attempt to locate family. The Coroner’s Office is asking for help in trying to locate any family of Sejour. If you know of any family related to Sejour, please call the Richmond County Coroner’s Office (706-821-2382). Sejour may have ties to Florida and/or New Jersey.”

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested due to the nature of the incident.

In a news release, Sunday morning, the GBI stated that when RCSO deputies responded to the 1200 block of Ellis Street they learned that Sejour had been pointing a gun at people in the area earlier that day. 

Deputies found him in an enclosed area of a business that bordered Ellis Street, confirmed he had a gun, and while speaking with him in an attempt to get him to surrender, there was an exchange of gunfire between the deputies and Sejour.

This is the 50th officer involved shooting the GBI has been requested to investigate in 2023.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp sent his sentiments via Twitter to Deputy Mercer with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department.

The Tweet reads: Marty, the girls, and I are asking all Georgians to pray for Richmond County Sheriff’s Deputy Kenneth Mercer who was shot in the line of duty today. We join his loved ones and the entire law enforcement community in asking God to keep him stable and on the road to recovery.

This investigation is on-going and no further information is available at this time.