GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Victor Hill, the Clayton County Sheriff whose alleged “accidental” shooting of a Gwinnett County real estate agent put her in critical condition at a local hospital, has been arrested and charged with the crime.
Hill, 50, has been charged with a misdemeanor of reckless conduct for shooting Gwenevere McCord, 43, in the abdomen in a Lawrenceville-area model home this past weekend.
Despite the request for a statement of what took place, the sheriff once again declined to cooperate with investigators to explain what precipitated the shooting or why he was in the home with her in the first place.
“Sheriff Victor Hill was afforded the opportunity to provide a statement about the incident but he declined to comment,” Cpl. Deon Washington said in a statement on Wednesday.
Hill turned himself over to officers at the Gwinnett County Jail at approximately 8 p.m. Tuesday evening and released about a half-hour later on a $3,000 bond, seemingly a light bond for the near-death shooting of an innocent woman.
Gwinnett County District Attorney said Hill was allowed to leave the scene of the shooting after he surrendered his guns and clothes and without providing a statement as to what happened.
“By consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk, to wit: Practicing police tactics while in a model home open to the public with a loaded firearm, which would cause the harm of said person…” the warrant states.
As of Thursday, May 7, Hill has released only this statement to explain what took place:
“As reported, on May 3, 2015, I was involved in a tragic and heartbreaking accident,” Hill said in a statement released just before 12:40 p.m Tuesday. “Gwenevere McCord, who is very dear to me, was critically injured in this accident. Please understand that for the past 48 hours, I have been entirely focused on Gwenevere and her family. I will continue to pray unceasingly for her recovery. I ask you all to please pray for Gwenevere and her family throughout this most difficult time.”
Hill, who has served as sheriff since 2005, has endured controversy during both of his elections to office.
In 2013, Hill was acquitted of racketeering charges related to his use of a county-issued credit card.
Hill filed for bankruptcy related to the amount of money he owed in damages for lawsuits against him. Hill had fired 27 deputies on his very first day in office — all who later sued for wrongful termination and got their jobs back. Clayton County later had to pay $7 million to the officers.
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