Two Georgia deputies were “ambushed” and killed Thursday night while serving a warrant, according to local authorities.
The deputies were serving a warrant over failure to appear in court over theft by deception in Cobb County, a populous county northwest of the Atlanta metropolitan area. The two suspected killers have been taken into custody, but their names were not yet released.
“What I can tell you in this moment is this — in plain terms it is simple, my two deputies were ambushed this evening and killed,” Sheriff Craig D. Owens said. “The two suspects we believe are the perpetrators of this crime are currently in custody and are being held at the Cobb County Police Department for questioning.”
The deceased deputies, who also were not named, had both been with the department for over five years. Owens said he wanted to make sure family notifications were finished before releasing the deputies’ names.
According to police, both deputies had arrived to serve the warrants and were speaking with one of the suspected killers when they were fired upon from inside a home and a vehicle. After being shot, the deputies were taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and Grady Memorial Hospital.
One officer was struck in the head, while the other, who died en route to the hospital, was hit in the pelvic area.
RIGHT NOW: Law enforcement from across the region huddled around the ER at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
A show of support as the bodies of 2 deputies will be escorted from here to the Medical Examiner’s office.
Those 2 deputies killed while serving a warrant. @cbs46 pic.twitter.com/3D18FVpSMw
— Patrick Quinn (@PatrickQuinnTV) September 9, 2022
After the two deputies were killed, a standoff between authorities and the suspects took place, with both SWAT and FAST teams responding to the scene.
The suspects were eventually apprehended early Friday morning, at around 12:15 a.m.
At a press conference, Owens said that the officers had served with “dignity and honor.”
“It is a night of heartache for two families from the Cobb sheriff’s office, two wives who have lost their amazing husbands,” the sheriff said. “These two deputies served Cobb County with dignity and honor.”
He also asked for prayers for the families and the sheriff’s office, saying that “our hearts are broken here in Cobb County.”
Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) also offered his sympathies to the department and the families of the deputies.
“Marty, the girls, & I were deeply saddened to learn of the killing of these two deputies. Men & women like them bravely serve our communities every day, & we owe them a great debt of gratitude,” he said. “Please join us in praying for their families & fellow law enforcement officers.”
Story cited here.
