Rita Perkins

Name:
Perkins, Rita Faustine

Date of Booking:
 04/16/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Aggravated Assault, Gun

Possess Firearm / Knife During Commission Of Felony

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On April 15, 2026, at 2039 hours, Lt. Callahan, Sgt. Barnett, Deputy Kadinger, Deputy Taylor, Deputy Dominick, Deputy Beach, and Deputy Bandy responded to [1000 BLOCK] Boyd Road after the Whitfield County 911 center received a call from a male, later identified as [VICTIM #1], advising that his wife, later identified as Rita Perkins, was pointing a firearm at him and had shot him three times. [VICTIM #1] advised dispatch that he had been shot in the chest and the butt and that he was unable to separate from his wife.

Deputy Bandy arrived on scene and saw movement on the front porch of the residence. Deputy Bandy was joined by Lt. Callahan and Sgt. Barnett and deputies began approaching the residence. Deputy Bandy saw movement on the front porch again and a person, and advised them to show him their hands. [VICTIM #1] then yelled back at Deputy Bandy, advising that he had been shot. Deputy Bandy and Lt. Callahan approached the male and asked where the female was, and he advised that she was inside the residence. Deputy Bandy observed that [VICTIM #1] was sitting in a chair on the front porch of the residence with a gunshot wound near the center of his chest and was bleeding.

Deputies then announced themselves at the front of the residence, and Lt. Callahan checked the doorknob, which was locked. Lt. Callahan then attempted to force entry into the front door of the residence, which was unsuccessful. Deputies could hear Rita inside the residence yelling and continued to give her commands to open the door in which she refused.

Deputy Taylor and Deputy Kadinger forced entry into the rear glass door of the residence. Deputies then made entry, and Deputy Bandy observed that Rita was already lying face down on the living room floor. Deputy Taylor then placed Rita into handcuffs to detain her. Lt. Callahan and Deputy Bandy then cleared the rest of the residence. Deputy Bandy observed blood on the kitchen floor and on part of the living room floor. Deputies asked Rita where the firearm was located, and she advised that it was in the bedroom. Sgt. Barnett and Deputy Bandy then observed a pistol lying on the table in the back room. Rita was speaking continuously, not making sense.

Once the scene was secured by law enforcement, EMS personnel began rendering aid to [VICTIM #1]. While [VICTIM #1] was being rendered aid, Deputy Bandy also observed that [VICTIM #1] had a gunshot wound to the lower back/buttocks area. [VICTIM #1] was then taken from the scene by EMS and was flown via Life Force to Erlanger hospital in Chattanooga Tennessee.

Rita was placed into the backseat of Deputy Bandy’s patrol vehicle where she continued to speak and not make sense. On-Call CID (Criminal Investigation Division) was notified and responded to the scene, and the investigation was turned over to them.

Rita was checked by EMS personnel, who recommended she be transported to the hospital for medical clearance. Deputy Bandy then transported Rita to Hamilton Medical Center as EMS followed him there. While at the hospital, Rita was still not making sense as she kept speaking. While at the hospital, Rita was asked by medical staff several times why she was there, and she responded every time that she was there because she had shot her husband. Rita also continued to talk about speaking directly with God.

Deputy Bandy spoke with Detective Mdeiway, who advised him that he had applied for a warrant for Rita, which was granted and would be left in Booking for when she was released from the hospital. Once Rita was cleared and released by hospital medical staff, Deputy Bandy transported her to the Whitfield County Jail and turned her over to the Booking staff without incident.

Deputy Bandy served Rita with warrant number W26-613 for violation of O.C.G.A 16-5-21 (Aggravated Assault) and violation of O.C.G.A 16-11-106 (Possession of firearm or knife during commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies).

[End of Narrative]