HAMPTON, Ga. — Officers on Sunday shot and killed a person wished in 4 weekend killings close to Atlanta throughout an change of gunfire, with a sheriff’s deputy and two cops wounded whereas making an attempt to take the suspect into custody, authorities mentioned.
Officials mentioned Andre Longmore was shot throughout an intense manhunt for the 40-year-old suspect. The change of gunfire got here a day after Saturday morning’s shootings rocked a bucolic subdivision in Hampton, south of Georgia’s principal metropolis.
Officials mentioned Longmore was killed about 15 miles (25 kilometers) to the north of Hampton in suburban Jonesboro. Clayton County police mentioned a Henry County sheriff’s deputy noticed the SUV that Longmore stole from one of many victims and commenced chasing him, calling for assist. After exchanging gunfire with Longmore, Clayton police mentioned he ran away.
Justin Robinson informed WANF-TV that Longmore entered the yard of a townhouse.
“He had a gun, he was bleeding, he was naked,” Robinson mentioned.
Robinson mentioned he alerted cops, who had been greeted with gunfire after they entered the townhouse the place Longmore had hidden.
“Soon as they open the back door this guy starts shooting, shoots at the cops,” Robinson mentioned. “The police start shooting.”
A Henry County sheriff’s deputy and two Clayton County cops had been injured within the try and arrest Longmore, officers mentioned
One officer was shot within the again and was taken by helicopter to an Atlanta trauma heart, Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett mentioned. “He is conscious, breathing and talking at this time,” Scandrett mentioned of that officer.
Clayton County Police Chief Kevin Roberts mentioned all three officers are anticipated to recuperate. Details on the situations of the opposite two wounded officers weren’t instantly made public.
Hampton Police Chief James Turner mentioned the 4 killed Saturday had been all residents of the identical Dogwood Lakes neighborhood the place Longmore lived, and had been all shot inside a 10-minute span. He recognized the victims as 67-year-old Scott Leavitt and his spouse, 66-year-old Shirley Leavitt, in addition to 65-year-old Steve Blizzard and 66-year-old Ronald Jeffers.
Sherry Wyatt, who works at Hampton’s recreation heart close to Jeffers’ residence, mentioned Jeffers would usually are available to sing on the senior heart that shares the constructing.
A couple of months in the past, Jeffers came to visit to her aspect of the constructing to follow and she or he informed him how stunning was his voice.
“I’m just so glad I told him he sang like an angel,” mentioned Wyatt, including her coronary heart was heavy Sunday over his loss of life. “I know he is in heaven now singing.”
A relative of Blizzard didn’t instantly reply to a Facebook message.
Authorities had been in search of to arrest Longmore on 4 homicide warrants for the deaths. Turner mentioned Longmore’s motives remained beneath investigation.
On Sunday, neighbor Frankie Worth informed The Associated Press he heard a gunshot Saturday morning as he was reaching for his lounge window to open the blinds and see how a lot yard work he needed to do.
Worth mentioned he ducked “just for a second” after which appeared again out the window. “You know, when you get incoming, you’ve got to know where it’s coming from,” mentioned Worth, who recognized himself as a Marine Corps veteran.
Longmore, who Worth knew solely as Andre, was standing on the street. He described seeing the person’s arms jerking from the recoil of firing a silver handgun.
Worth mentioned the person appeared to have fired at a small white automotive pushed by one other neighbor, “an older white gentleman.” He mentioned the taking pictures occurred close to a cul-de-sac the place all of them reside.
Worth mentioned he first thought there’d been a highway rage confrontation, however mentioned the person moved intentionally. “He didn’t appear angry, upset, agitated,” Worth mentioned.
Worth mentioned Longmore appeared to judge whether or not he wanted to shoot once more after which “started walking casually” towards the doorway to the subdivision, then at a “brisk stride.” Worth mentioned he ran upstairs, watching Longmore disappear behind some bushes as he known as the police.
Turner informed reporters earlier that detectives had been investigating not less than 4 crime scenes in Dogwood Lakes. At least three police automobiles staked out the neighborhood Sunday, limiting entry. About 40 homes on two streets flank a lake within the neighborhood, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of downtown Atlanta.
Ron Foster, who lives on the primary highway outdoors the subdivision entrance, mentioned Longmore drove by his yard and his neighbor’s yard, destroying a number of decorative windmills and leaving tire tracks within the grass. Foster was inside his home when he heard crunching steel.
“What was going through that man’s mind after he did all he done?” Foster puzzled. “It was unreal.”
Hampton is residence to the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Georgia’s racetrack for NASCAR occasions. The most up-to-date murder earlier than Saturday within the city of 8,000 had been in 2018, Turner mentioned. “It’s not normal for us,” he mentioned.
The shootings marked the thirty first mass killing of 2023, taking the lives of not less than 153 folks this yr, in line with a database maintained by The AP and USA Today in a partnership with Northeastern University.
Hampton Mayor Ann Tarpley mentioned town would maintain a prayer vigil Monday night for the 4 victims and their family members.
“We have their back and we will continue to support them throughout their bereavement,” Tarpley mentioned.
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