On Thursday, June 25, 2026, Austin Teems, 29, was shot and killed at Bethel Church in McCaysville, Georgia. Deputies from the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call and found Teems suffering from apparent gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene. Teems, a Blue Ridge resident, is described by family as a hardworking husband and father of two young boys.

A 29-year-old Blue Ridge man, Nicholas Rogers, was arrested at the church without incident and booked into the Fannin County Jail on felony murder and aggravated assault charges. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the inquiry and the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office was scheduled to perform an autopsy. Authorities have not released a motive or described the relationship, if any, between Teems and Rogers.

Anyone who knew Austin Teems, his activities in McCaysville or Blue Ridge, or who has information about the shooting at Bethel Church is asked to come forward.