BUFORD, Ga. (Civic Lens Network) A 35 year old Albany, New York man wanted in a May homicide in Troy, New York was taken into custody Thursday, September 24, 2026, in Buford after authorities said he fired at officers and was later struck by gunfire himself. Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office deputies working with the U.S. Marshals Service went to a residence in the 1900 block of Binnies Way in northeast Buford early Thursday to serve warrants on Kean Wiggins.
Officials said Wiggins had an active New York warrant for murder. Gwinnett County Police Department officers also responded to assist. According to the Gwinnett County Police Department and Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Wiggins fired at least one shot at deputies and marshals during the initial encounter at the home. No officers were struck.
An adult female found at the residence was taken into custody and charged with harboring a fugitive. Authorities have not publicly released her name. Wiggins fled the property. Officers established a perimeter in the area of Binnies Way and Braselton Highway.
Nearby schools including Mountain View High School, Twin Rivers Middle School and Freeman’s Mill Elementary School were placed on soft lockdown during the search. Braselton Highway was temporarily closed. Several hours later, around late morning, officers located Wiggins again in the area, including reports of contact near the 2300 block of Old Peachtree Road. Authorities said additional gunfire was exchanged.
Wiggins was struck by at least one gunshot, treated at the scene and taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Officials said no law enforcement officers, first responders or members of the public were injured. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the officer involved shooting, which is standard procedure. Wiggins remained in custody Thursday.
Officials said there was no ongoing threat to the public. The New York case Troy Police Department investigators say Shardonay Tyce, 34, of Albany was found with a gunshot wound about 10:30 p.m. on May 6, 2026, inside a unit at the Lion Factory Apartments on Second Avenue in the Lansingburgh section of Troy. Police said the shooting followed an argument with someone she knew. Tyce was hospitalized and died of her injuries on May 11.
Troy police named Wiggins a person of interest later in May. In July they announced a warrant charging him with second degree murder. The Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office later obtained an indictment that also included a charge of second degree criminal possession of a weapon. Investigators said they believed Wiggins left the area shortly after the shooting.
U.S. Marshals joined the search and offered a reward that rose to $7,500 for information leading to his arrest. Investigators later determined Wiggins had ties to Georgia. On September 24, Gwinnett deputies received reports he had been seen in the Buford area, which led to the warrant service that morning.
Troy Police Deputy Chief Steven Barker said the department stayed in contact with Georgia agencies before and during the arrest. He thanked the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Gwinnett County Police Department, New York State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office. The district attorney’s office is expected to handle extradition once Wiggins is medically cleared.
Police have described the New York homicide allegations as an argument that turned into a shooting. Those accusations and the Georgia harboring charge remain allegations pending court proceedings. The GBI investigation of the Buford shooting is active.
