Governor Orders Probe Into Towns County Sheriff Following Body-Cam Confrontation

TOWNS COUNTY, Ga. — Governor Brian Kemp has ordered a formal investigation into Towns County Sheriff Kenneth Henderson, following allegations of misconduct tied to a confrontation with a Hiawassee police officer last December.

The move comes after body-camera footage surfaced showing Henderson physically confronting Officer José Carvajal at the scene of a reported deputy-involved shooting in Young Harris.

Carvajal, who had responded outside his jurisdiction to render aid, applied a tourniquet to the wounded deputy and briefly handled the deputy’s firearm before securing it.

Moments later, Henderson questioned Carvajal about the weapon, and the exchange escalated.

Video shows Henderson placing his hands on the officer and spinning him around, a moment that drew visible concern from other deputies at the scene.

The incident raised alarms not only because of the sheriff’s actions but also because the deputy at the center of the call, Austin Bradburn, was later arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and charged with making a false report of a crime.

On Friday, Kemp signed an executive order invoking a little-used provision of Georgia law that allows the governor to convene a special panel when a sheriff is accused of failing to carry out the duties of the office.

The three-member committee—comprised of Attorney General Chris Carr, Coweta County Sheriff Lenn Wood, and Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown—has 30 days to investigate the allegations and recommend whether Henderson should be suspended or removed.

The request for state intervention was initially brought by the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, which cited concerns about Henderson’s conduct.

Tensions between Henderson’s office and the Hiawassee Police Department have been noted before, including a 2022 traffic stop dispute and reports of friction between the sheriff and city officers.

So far, Henderson has not publicly commented on the investigation. His silence comes as both law enforcement and residents in the North Georgia county await the committee’s findings.

For now, the sheriff remains in office, but the outcome of the review could determine not only his future but also the level of trust between his department and the surrounding community.