Blue Ridge Man Charged with Murder Following Fatal Shooting at Fannin County Church

MCCAYSVILLE, Ga. — A Blue Ridge man has been charged with murder after a fatal shooting outside a church in Fannin County early Thursday morning.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), 29-year-old Nicholas Rogers of Blue Ridge was arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault in connection with the death of 29-year-old Austin Teems, also of Blue Ridge.

Authorities say Fannin County 911 received a report of a shooting at Bethel Baptist Church in McCaysville during the early morning hours of Thursday, June 25. Deputies with the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and found Teems suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

Teems was pronounced dead at the scene. Rogers was taken into custody at the church.

The Fannin County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI to investigate the homicide. Teems’ body has been transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy will be performed.

Following his arrest, Rogers was booked into the Fannin County Jail.

Investigators have not released additional information regarding what led to the shooting, the relationship between the two men, or why they were at the church when the incident occurred. No probable cause affidavit or court documents detailing the circumstances surrounding the case have been made public.

The investigation remains active and ongoing. Once completed, the case file will be submitted to the Appalachian Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review and potential prosecution.

Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland at 706-348-4866. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), through the GBI website, or by using the See Something, Send Something mobile app.