A Paulding County sheriff's deputy lost his life in a tragic incident while responding to a domestic dispute call on Saturday night.
According to ABC News, Deputy Brandon Cunningham, a 30-year-old father of two, was fatally shot in what officials described as an ambush.
The incident occurred when Cunningham and another deputy were dispatched to a home in Hiram following reports of a domestic dispute. Upon arrival, they were met with gunfire from a suspect inside the residence, resulting in Cunningham being struck while his colleague managed to avoid injury.
Maj. Ashley Henson of the Paulding County Sheriff's Office provided details about the incident during a press conference on Saturday night. He described the situation as "tremendously tragic" and stated that it appeared the deputies were ambushed upon their arrival at the scene.
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old James Samuel Atkins, was found dead at the scene from what officials believe to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A female victim, 52-year-old Kim Thao Vu, was also shot during the incident and was transported to the ICU. As of Saturday night, she was reported to be in stable condition.
Sheriff Gary Gulledge expressed his grief over the loss of Deputy Cunningham, emphasizing the impact on both the department and the community. He referred to Cunningham as a hero and called for support and prayers for the fallen deputy's family and colleagues.
Deputy Brandon Cunningham has been serving with the Paulding County Sheriff's Department since 2020. At just 30 years old, he was a dedicated law enforcement officer and a father of two children. His untimely death marks a significant loss for both his family and the department.
Cunningham's passing is particularly poignant for the Paulding County Sheriff's Office, as it represents the first officer killed in the line of duty in the department's history. This tragic event has deeply affected the entire staff, as noted by Sheriff Gulledge during the press conference.
The sheriff's office took to social media to express their sorrow, describing the day as "one of the hardest in the history of the Paulding County Sheriff's Office." This statement reflects the profound impact of Cunningham's loss on his colleagues and the law enforcement community as a whole.
In the wake of this tragedy, local officials have called for community support and solidarity. Sheriff Gulledge made a heartfelt plea during the press conference, stating:
I ask that you pray for this family -- both blood and blue. Everybody here is hurting, our whole staff is hurting.
This statement underscores the close-knit nature of the law enforcement community and the ripple effect that the loss of an officer has on their colleagues and families.
Deputy Brandon Cunningham, a 30-year-old father of two, was fatally shot while responding to a domestic dispute call in Paulding County, Georgia. The incident, described as an ambush by officials, also resulted in injuries to a female victim and the death of the male suspect.
Cunningham had been serving with the sheriff's department since 2020 and is the first officer in the department's history to be killed in the line of duty. The community and law enforcement colleagues are mourning this tragic loss and calling for support and prayers for Cunningham's family and the department.
