A respected sheriff’s deputy was tragically shot and killed Saturday night while responding to a domestic disturbance in northwestern Georgia, as confirmed by officials.

Deputy Brandon Cunningham of the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office was “ambushed” alongside another deputy when they arrived to handle a domestic dispute in Hiram, Georgia, located just outside Atlanta. Gunfire erupted immediately around 6:13 p.m. after their arrival.

“Cunningham was shot as he left his patrol car without seeing the threat first, tragically being executed,” said the sheriff’s office in a news release. “Ongoing gunfire from within the home made it impossible for his partner to assist him.”

Despite other deputies responding quickly, they could not help Cunningham because of the heavy gunfire, according to the sheriff’s office. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

This incident marks the first time that the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office has lost a deputy in action, Maj. Ashley Henson shared during a news conference on Saturday night.

The suspect, identified as 42-year-old James Samuel Atkins, was found deceased at the scene from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as reported by the sheriff’s office. The female victim, Kim Thao Vu, 52, is the suspect’s wife and was also injured during the incident.

“Tonight, we’ve lost a hero,” expressed Paulding Sheriff Gary Gulledge during the press briefing. “Deputy Brandon Cunningham has succumbed to gunfire at the emergency room here in Paulding.”

“I urge everyone to keep this family in your thoughts. Please pray for them — regardless of whether you are from this county — both for the family and our blue family,” Gulledge requested. “We are all grieving. Our entire staff feels this loss deeply.”

Ongoing investigation into the shooting

Additional deputies arrived in an armored vehicle, enabling them to safely retrieve Cunningham and transport him to an ambulance. “It is with great sadness that we confirm Deputy Cunningham was pronounced deceased later that evening at the hospital,” shared the sheriff’s office.

Multiple SWAT teams from the metro area arrived to apprehend the suspect and entered the home using armored vehicles, drones, and robots, according to the sheriff’s office. They later found Atkins, who “appeared to have taken his own life with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the sheriff’s office reported.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is taking charge of the incident investigation.

‘Brandon was an exemplary deputy’

Cunningham is noted as the first deputy to lose his life on duty since the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office was founded back in 1834, according to the sheriff’s office.

At just 30 years old, Cunningham leaves behind two children, as mentioned by Gulledge. He had begun his career with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office in 2020 and had served in the uniform patrol division for nearly two years, shared Henson.

“Brandon was an outstanding deputy and a dedicated worker. My heart aches for his family, friends, and our staff,” Gulledge stated on Sunday. “This tragic act of violence is something we can never comprehend.”

The sheriff’s office has set up a memorial patrol vehicle outside their office for the public to pay their respects and leave flowers and condolences.