A man being questioned by police at a suburban Atlanta hotel on Sunday shot two officers after inviting them into his room, killing one and seriously wounding the other. The suspect was also shot by one of the officers and was undergoing medical treatment, expected to survive, Gwinnett County Police Chief J.D. McClure said during a news conference.
The shootout occurred Sunday morning near Stone Mountain, about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. The officers were dispatched to the hotel after a caller in another state reported someone had fraudulently used their credit card there, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said in a statement. The front desk clerk directed the officers to the room of the person who had used the credit card.
McClure said the suspect greeted the officers at the door to his room and invited them inside. 'They began discussing the scenario or the incident with him,' McClure said. 'And at some point the suspect produced a handgun and fired, striking both officers.' One officer was killed, and the other was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. The suspect was also being treated for a gunshot wound.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp expressed his condolences and gratitude for law enforcement. 'This is the latest reminder of the dangers law enforcement face on a daily basis,' Kemp said on the social platform X. 'We are grateful for every one that puts themselves in harm’s way to protect their fellow Georgians.'
The GBI has taken over the investigation, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings in Georgia. No further details, including the names of the officers or the suspect, have been released.