Police say a cardboard box concealed both a firearm and the alleged attacker’s face.

KENNESAW, Ga. — A man posing as a late-night delivery driver confirmed a homeowner’s identity and then fired through the cardboard box he was carrying, striking the man four times outside his Kennesaw home, police said.

The May 6 shooting turned an ordinary knock at the door into what investigators describe as a targeted attack tied to a past romantic relationship. Police arrested 33-year-old Jacob Forrest Kevinsson weeks later and charged him with aggravated assault, aggravated battery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. The wounded homeowner, John Rice, survived and has spoken only briefly about his recovery.

The encounter began around 10:30 p.m. at a home in the 2000 block of Smith Street, about 25 miles northwest of Atlanta. Police said a masked visitor approached the residence carrying a cardboard box in front of him. The box helped him resemble a delivery worker, but investigators say it also served a second purpose by blocking Rice’s view of the man’s face and hiding a gun. The visitor knocked, waited for Rice to answer and asked him to confirm his identity. Rice did so. According to the arrest warrant, the man then fired through the cardboard rather than lowering or opening it. Four bullets hit Rice at close range, two on the left side of his chest and two in his right forearm. Police say the sequence showed that the visitor had not gone to the house by mistake and had selected the person who opened the door.

Rice remained conscious after the gunfire and managed to leave his property. Although wounded in his chest and arm, he walked to a neighbor’s home to seek help. The neighbor called 911, bringing police officers and emergency medical workers to the street. Kennesaw Police Officer David Buchanan said Rice was able to speak when responders arrived and explain that someone carrying a package had come to his door. That early account gave investigators several details at once: the attacker’s disguise, the box, the request for Rice’s name and the direction in which the gunman fled. Police have not released Rice’s full medical history, the treatment he received or the length of any hospital stay. Rice later told a television reporter that he did not want to appear on camera and was recovering as best he could.

The box became the most unusual piece of the reported method, but the vehicle offered detectives a trail they could follow. Witnesses and nearby security cameras indicated that the shooter ran from the house and escaped in a Toyota Corolla, police said. Investigators reviewed recordings and spoke with people in the neighborhood as they worked to identify the car. Buchanan said those accounts and camera images were important to the investigation. Detectives traced the vehicle to Kevinsson, a Marietta resident who had previously dated Rice’s current girlfriend. Police have not publicly detailed who owned the Corolla, where it was found, whether it was searched or what physical evidence officers recovered from it. Authorities also have not identified the firearm or said whether they recovered a gun, ammunition, the mask, clothing or the damaged cardboard box.

Kevinsson’s alleged connection to Rice gave investigators a possible explanation for why the visitor first asked the homeowner to state or confirm his name. Police say Kevinsson is the former boyfriend of the woman Rice was dating at the time of the shooting. Buchanan described the investigation as unusual and said emotions connected to relationships were the most likely factor behind the violence. Authorities have not publicly described when Kevinsson’s earlier relationship ended, how long Rice and the woman had been together or whether the two men had met before May 6. They also have not announced evidence of earlier threats, confrontations, stalking or unwanted contact. The woman has not been publicly identified, and police have not accused her of participating in the attack or knowing it was planned.

The shooting drew particular attention because the alleged disguise depended on a familiar sight at residential doors. A person holding a package can appear to have a routine reason to approach a home, wait on a porch and ask for a resident by name. In this case, investigators say that appearance allowed the gunman to get close to Rice without immediately showing his face or weapon. Buchanan said the man was trying to look like a delivery driver. Police have not said that Kevinsson wore clothing from a delivery company, drove a commercial vehicle or used any company’s name. No delivery business has been accused of involvement. The reported deception rested on the mask, the box and the request to verify the resident’s identity.

Residents described the area as normally quiet. Courtney Burdett, who moved with her 8-month-old baby into a home a few doors from Rice after the shooting, said serious incidents were not common on the street. “Nothing ever happens here, it’s a quiet street,” Burdett said. Her comments reflected the unease caused not only by the gunfire but also by the way the shooter allegedly approached the home. Police have not reported injuries to neighbors or damage to another house. They also have not said whether anyone else was inside Rice’s residence during the shooting. The publicly released account focuses on the brief exchange at the entrance, Rice’s injuries and his walk to a nearby home for assistance.

Officers arrested Kevinsson in early June, roughly a month after the shooting. He was booked into the Cobb County Jail on felony charges and ordered held without bond. Aggravated assault and aggravated battery address different parts of the accusation: the alleged armed attack and the serious injuries police say Rice suffered. The firearm count alleges that a gun was possessed during another felony. Those charges are accusations, and Kevinsson is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove them in court. Available reports do not identify a defense attorney, record a plea or list a scheduled next court date. Authorities also have not announced whether a Cobb County grand jury has reviewed the case or whether prosecutors intend to seek additional charges.

The arrest warrant provides the central account now available to the public, but several parts of the investigation remain undisclosed. Police have not explained how Kevinsson allegedly learned Rice’s address or whether phone, location or internet records played a role in identifying him. They have not said how many shots were fired in total, whether every round struck Rice or whether shell casings were found at the doorway. It is also unknown whether the cardboard had been altered to allow a gun barrel to pass through it or whether the shots simply tore through an intact side of the box. Investigators have not released video of the approach, shooting or getaway. The known camera evidence has been described mainly as a tool used to identify the Toyota.

The case now moves from a police investigation toward the court process. Prosecutors may present witness accounts, medical records, security video, vehicle evidence and any forensic findings as they decide how to proceed. A defense lawyer will be able to challenge the identification, the evidence supporting the warrant and the state’s description of intent. Rice’s ability to describe the visitor and the identity check could become significant, as could recordings showing the vehicle before or after the shooting. No trial date has been announced, and officials have not said when more evidence may become public. Until filings or hearings reveal additional details, the arrest warrant and police statements remain the main record of the state’s allegations.

For Rice, the encounter lasted only moments but left four wounds and a long recovery. For detectives, the attacker’s effort to hide behind an everyday object also created a distinctive set of clues. Kevinsson remained in the Cobb County Jail without bond as of the latest public reports, with no next hearing listed.

Author note: Last updated July 10, 2026.