Carroll County Deputy Taylor Bristow dies after line-of-duty shooting

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. - A Carroll County deputy shot in the line of duty earlier this week has died.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office posted on its Facebook page, "Tonight we mourn the passing of Investigator Bristow, who has left this earth and gained his heavenly wings. He served our community with unwavering passion and dedicated his life to protecting the citizens of Carroll County. We are deeply saddened and at a loss for words. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers, and kindly respect their privacy as they grieve this profound loss."

PREVIOUS STORY: Carroll County deputy shot: Out of surgery, recovering in ICU

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office says Bristow was helping the GBI serve a search warrant on Don Rich Drive Tuesday morning for "children sexual exploitation."

 "During that time it was a very fluid situation and our deputy was shot serving that search warrant," Carroll County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ashley Hulsey said.

The gunfire hit Deputy Bristow in the face. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital to be treated and had been in the ICU. 

The suspected gunman, later identified as 40-year-old Christopher Bly, was found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Sheriff's Office says no officers fired their weapons.

The original search warrant was executed by the the GBI's Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. During that search, agents discovered multiple electronic devices inside the home that contained child sexual abuse materials.

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Bristow served the sheriff's office for around six years. Sheriff Terry Langley described him as an outstanding and dedicated officer.

"Just pray. Just pray. That's all we can ask for. Just pray for our deputy, pray for our department. Pray for his family and pray that nonsense ends. Our deputies put on a gun and badge and a vest every day and they never know if they're going to make it home and that's something that really sticks with all of us when things like this happen," Hulsey said.

He leaves behind a wife and two children. 

Donations can be made to assist Bristow’s family by clicking here. According to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, this is the only legitimate donation site.

The loss of Bristow marks the second tragedy to strike Georgia's law enforcement community this week. His death follows closely on the heels of Paulding County Deputy Brandon Cunningham’s death in the line of duty, whose funeral was held on Friday.

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There is no word at this time about any funeral arrangements.