Corrections officer killed in shooting at Gwinnett Correctional Center
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Gwinnett County corrections officer has been killed in a shooting early Tuesday morning at the Gwinnett Correctional Center, officials say.
Authorities tell FOX 5 the shooting happened at around 6:20 a.m. the parking lot of the facility, which is located on Hi Hope Road near Swanson Drive.
At the scene, officers found 59-year-old Scott Riner shot to death in the parking lot of the facility.
Gwinnett Police Department's Sgt. Jennifer Richter says at this time, they believe the shooting happened during a confrontation with a suspect in the parking lot while Riner was heading to work. The motive behind the shooting is unclear.
"The best that we can tell at this time is that the victim was involved in some kind of a confrontation or interaction with another individual here in the parking lot and that that individual did shoot him," Sgt. Richter said.
Police released surveillance video of the murder suspect, who fled on foot after the shooting.
"Right now this is a very active scene, a very active investigation," Richter said. "Our detectives and officers are following up on leads."
The suspect, who has not been identified, fled the scene on foot.
Riner was an employee at the correctional facility for around 10 years.
Scott Riner (Gwinnett County Police)
Officials described Riner as a father and grandfather who was respected and well liked by both guards and prisoners at the facility.
The shooting investigation led to the temporary shutdown of the Gwinnett Online Campus, which is also located on Hi Hope Road. School officials say final exams will be rescheduled and students should not come to campus. Dyler Elementary School and Freeman's Mill Elementary School was put on a soft lockdown while police searched for the suspect.
"My prayers really go out to his family. I want his family to know that he was our family as well, and we are going to get through this together," said Captain Audrey Henderson worked with Riner.
Capt. Henderson said Officer Riner had a great personality and was well-liked by his co-workers and inmates.
As they search for his killer, Riner's law enforcement family mourn the death of one of their own.
"Anytime we lose one of our own it is extremely difficult, extremely emotional but what the police department is going to do is to help him and honor his memory and his family is to work this case as hard as we can and to catch the person that did this," Sgt. Richter said.
Gwinnett County police are asking for the public's help. Investigators want anyone who was in the area of Hi Hope Road and Swanson Drive, including Hurricane Shoals Road, Swanson, and Georgia 316 between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning to contact detectives. They are particularly interested in anyone who may have dash cam footage in the area.