Ambush that killed a Paulding County deputy described

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A Paulding County police officer is dead after he was ambushed and shot following a domestic dispute Saturday night. The suspect later committed suicide after barricading himself in his home for hours, the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said.

Officials said it happened when they responded to a 911 call from a home in the Harmony Creek neighborhood around 6:15 p.m. Paulding County officials confirmed a woman who was involved in the domestic dispute with the suspect was also shot.

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Deputies said the woman left the house after the domestic dispute, returned and was eventually shot.

The deputy was identified as Brandon Cunningham. The sheriff's office said this is the first time a deputy has been killed in the line of duty in Paulding County.

Ashley Henson, spokeswoman for the Paulding County Sheriff's Office, said when officers arrived at the home, they were ambushed and shots were fired immediately.

“When the call for help came in, additional officers arrived at the scene,” Henson said. “The additional officers who arrived at the scene were shot at heavily.”

It is not clear at this time what condition the officer or person is in or what led to the shooting. Officials said the woman left the home after the domestic dispute, returned and was then ultimately shot.

Henson said there were hundreds of police officers on site.

“As you can tell by the look on my face, this is a very serious and grave situation,” Henson said. “So I would appreciate it if you would pray for our deputy and the female victim. I would appreciate it if you would pray for the men and women who are out there right now trying to peacefully resolve this situation.”

The deputy and the woman were shot in Hiram, which is about 27 miles west of Atlanta. The shooting occurred on Virgie Ballentine Drive, which is on the same street as Hiram High School. A heavy police presence can still be seen in the area where the shots were fired.

Cobb County Police confirmed to 11Alive that they are assisting Hiram Police with the investigation.

Watch the full press conference below: