Deputy Brandon Sikes was guided by a single mission. He wanted to make his community a safer place for his wife and daughter, according to his family.
The Augusta native died trying to do just that.
Sikes, a seven-year veteran of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, was shot to death Saturday evening while attempting to serve a warrant during a traffic stop. He was 31.
“Deputy Sikes embodied the very best of community service and personal sacrifice,” his obituary states. “Though he never sought the spotlight, his impact on those around him will be felt for generations. His memory will live on — in the community he made safer, in the lives he touched, and in the family and friends who will forever be proud of the man he was."
Before becoming a deputy, Sikes served as a U.S. Army combat medic, according to his family. Since May 2023, he had also served at Augusta Preparatory Day School, the private school said.
On Saturday, Sikes and other deputies were attempting to serve a temporary protective order against James Montgomery, according to investigators. That’s when Montgomery opened fire, killing Sikes and critically injuring a second deputy, Gavin White.
Montgomery was later found dead inside his camper, investigators said.
In addition to his wife and daughter, Sikes is survived by his parents and three brothers, in addition to other family members.
The funeral will be Monday noon at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center in Evans, with the Rev. John Kenney officiating. Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors in Augusta is in charge of arrangements.
A GoFundMe page was created to assist the Sikes family.
Sikes is the third Georgia law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty this year, according to police. His death is the second for the Columbia sheriff’s office, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page,
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