Georgia Man Faces Murder Charges in Shooting Range Killings

A Georgia man has been arrested in connection with the shooting range that resulted in three deaths last week.

Jacob Christian Muse, 21, of College Park, Georgia, has been charged with three counts of malice murder, according to a statement from Georgia Bureau of Investigations, the ATF and the Grantville Police Department.

The triple homicide took place April 8 at the Lock, Stock & Barrel Shooting Range in Grantville, Georgia, about 50 miles southwest of Atlanta. The victims were the range owner, Thomas Hawk, 75; his wife, Evelyn, 75; and their grandson, Luke, 17.

According to law enforcement, Muse stole an estimated 40 guns during the incident, along with the shooting range’s surveillance camera.

Muse has been booked into the Coweta County jail, where he remained held without bond late Friday. 

“Even though he’s in jail and with warrants signed for murder, there’s a lot more to work,” Grantville police Chief Steve Whitlock told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Hawk family released a statement Saturday reacting to the arrest:

“We are encouraged and honored by the incredible efforts of our local law enforcement including the Grantville Police and Coweta County Sheriff’s department, as well as the ATF and GBI,” the statement read. 

“We understand from Chief Steve Whitlock that the current development with the murder suspect in custody, was certainly a team effort. We are continuing to pray for their teams during this stressful time, and we will continue to pray for the redemption of the perpetrator.”

The statement concluded, “Thank you again, to the City of Grantville and the community at large for such an outpouring of love and support. It is so meaningful that so many in our community cherished them as we did and have helped to shine a light in the darkness.”