Two men will spend decades in prison after a 2021 standoff with Ball Ground police and other agencies, according to Cherokee County District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway.
The DA said Jeffrey Leighton Danner, 35, of Alabama, entered a guilty but mentally ill plea on Nov. 12, while Kaleb Hunter Kirkland, 27, also of Alabama, entered a guilty plea.
Chief Superior Court Judge David L. Cannon Jr. sentenced both men to 50 years, ordering Danner to serve the first 20 years in prison and Kirkland to serve the first 25 years. After their prison terms, both will serve the remainder of their sentences on probation and are barred from Cherokee County.
The two were arrested on Feb. 28, 2021, after leading Ball Ground police on a chase in a stolen vehicle, officials said. Officers attempted to pull the pair over after spotting a stolen car from Alabama. The suspects drove down a dead-end road and fled into the woods.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to assist, and officials said Danner and Kirkland opened fire on them. No officers were injured.
After the shooting, SWAT and a Georgia State Patrol helicopter were called to the scene to monitor the suspects’ movements in the woods.
After roughly three hours, SWAT members moved in. Kirkland, who was armed with a rifle, was shot by a SWAT member after failing to comply with verbal commands. He was treated at the scene by Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services and later taken to a hospital. Danner was taken into custody without incident, and a handgun was found near where he had been hiding.
“When these defendants brought violence into our county, our law enforcement officers met that threat head-on with extraordinary courage and professionalism, preventing a dangerous situation from becoming a tragedy,” said District Attorney Treadaway. “These sentences provide full accountability and uphold our obligation to safeguard the citizens of Cherokee County.”
