LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – On Sunday morning, law enforcement officers responding to a reported case of credit card fraud at a suburban Atlanta hotel encountered a fatal shooting incident that resulted in the death of one officer and serious injuries to another. The event unfolded near Stone Mountain, roughly 25 miles northeast of Atlanta.
Authorities indicated the officers had been dispatched following a tip from another state regarding fraudulent use of a credit card at the hotel premises, according to a statement by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Upon arrival, hotel staff directed the officers to the guest room associated with the credit card usage.
Gwinnett County Police Chief J.D. McClure explained at a press briefing that the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Kevin Andrews from Decatur, Georgia, answered the door and invited officers inside. Initially, they engaged in conversation to clarify the situation.
"During the discussion concerning the incident, the suspect unexpectedly produced a handgun and launched an unprovoked attack against our officers," McClure stated.
In the ensuing gunfire, Officer Pradeep Tamang, 25, sustained fatal injuries and later died in hospital care. Officer Tamang, originally from Nepal, was relatively new to the department, having joined in 2022. Another officer involved, David Reed, was severely wounded but remained in stable condition as of Sunday afternoon.
The suspect was also shot by one of the officers and was undergoing medical treatment, with authorities reporting that his injuries were not life-threatening.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp commented on social media platform X, emphasizing the inherent dangers faced by law enforcement members and expressing gratitude for their service to the community.
Following the shooting, the investigation was transferred to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, responsible for probing incidents involving police officers. The determination of charges against Andrews will be made by the GBI and local prosecutors. It remains unknown whether the suspect has legal representation to issue statements on his behalf.