Veterans Affairs Employee Dies in Shooting at Pickens County VA Clinic
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) reported that autopsies are being conducted on both Nicholas "Nic" Crews and Lawrence Charles Michels, with the investigation ongoing. Crews, a 34-year-old social work case manager at the Jasper VA clinic, was fatally shot during an incident on Tuesday afternoon. The shooting occurred when Michels, 51, opened fire during a mental health consultation at the facility. After the shooting, Michels exited the clinic and engaged in a gunfight with police officers and an armed civilian. It remains unclear whether Michels was killed by the police or the bystander, and details about how many times he was shot are not yet available. Fortunately, no one else was injured during the incident, which caused panic among shoppers at a nearby thrift store. Following the tragic event, the VA is rescheduling appointments and providing counseling services to veterans and staff. Crews was airlifted to a hospital but died on Wednesday. The Pickens County clinic will remain closed for the remainder of the week as authorities continue their investigation into the shooting. Local resident Christy Cantrell noted that she was shopping with her granddaughter when the gunfire erupted outside the Goodwill store.
