Coweta County gun range shooting: Beloved family shot to death in 'quiet' town
GRANTVILLE, Ga. - Grantville Police Chief Steve Whitlock said the small town is stunned by the deadly shooting of a business owner, his wife and grandson.
Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a robbery Friday night at the Lock, Stock & Barrel shooting range.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the ATF are helping Grantville police investigate.
The triple homicide happened on Friday night, and investigators haven't released much information in the days since. The murder brought national attention to the Coweta County town.
"I've been in law enforcement 40 years and never seen anything like this," Whitlock said.
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He said the Hawks were "easy-going people" and he has a hard time understanding why someone would have killed them. Whitlock said he spoke with 71-year-old Tommy Hawk, the gun range's owner, multiple times per week. Tommy Hawk, who was the father of Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk, Evelyn Hawks and Luke Hawk were shot dead during a possible armed robbery, police said. Luke Hawks was 18 or 19 years old, Whitlock said.
Whitlock described them as generous. The community is feeling the loss days after the shooting.
"They were well-liked around the city," Whitlock said.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Grantville city officials and the National Shooting Sports Foundation offered Saturday a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the deadly shooting and armed robbery. Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order bringing the reward total to $25,000
Whitlock said investigators are receiving tips and GBI and ATF agents are following up. The Grantville Police Department has a total of 13 officers, Whitlock said, and his department is relying on assistance from outside agencies.
"We're out following up right now, but nothing we can really release right now," Whitlock said.
Each of the roughly 40 missing guns is troubling to local law enforcement.
"I'm concerned about every gun out here," Whitlock said.