Georgia Rep. Brandon Cunningham was killed in a murder-suicide after responding to a domestic dispute

HIRAM, Ga. – A Georgia state sheriff's deputy was shot and killed while responding to a reported domestic dispute that police say was an ambush on officers and resulted in a suspect committing suicide.

Two officers responded to a 911 call shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday and were immediately fired upon from inside a residential home in Hiram, Georgia, Major Ashley Henson of the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said during a briefing.

The male suspect also fired “a volley of bullets” at other officers, but only one was hit, Henson said.

Deputy Brandon Cunningham, 30, died at the hospital from a gunshot wound, Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge confirmed during the press conference.

“Tonight we lost a hero,” Gulledge said, adding, “It's going to be a tough time for all of us and all of our guys.”

The suspect, whose identity was not immediately released, apparently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Henson said.

A woman involved in the domestic dispute had left but returned while the police were still on the scene.

She was also shot and taken to a hospital near Atlanta where she is in stable condition, Henson said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will monitor the investigation, Henson said, adding that it was not immediately clear whether any of the officers returned fire in the community about 27 miles northwest of Atlanta.

“Unfortunately, it appears our officers were ambushed,” Henson said.

He called the shooting an “incredibly tragic situation” and pointed out that the sheriff's office had never lost an officer in the line of duty before Saturday.

“Our hearts are broken,” Henson said. “You see us pulling ourselves together, but there will be heartache, there are already tears.”