Man holding woman and child hostage shot by DeKalb police

Officer shoots gunman holding mother, child hostage

DeKalb County police officers responded to a domestic call on Central Drive and found an armed man holding a woman and child at gunpoint. An officer shot the suspect when he refused commands to drop his weapon, leaving him in critical condition while the mother and child escaped safely.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - An officer with the DeKalb County Police Department shot an armed suspect holding a woman and child hostage Tuesday morning near North Hairston Road, according to police. 

What we know:

Officers arrived at a home near Central Drive and North Hairston Road around 8:03 a.m. following reports of a domestic incident. 

Police shoot armed suspect holding woman and child

We are following breaking news in DeKalb County where a police officer is reported to have shot an armed suspect holding a woman and child hostage. Our Hernan Gutierrez has the details.

When they arrived, police encountered an armed man holding a woman and a child at gunpoint.

Officers ordered the suspect to drop his weapon, but he refused to comply. 

An officer opened fire, striking the man. 

Paramedics transported the suspect to a local hospital in critical condition, while first responders removed the woman and child safely. 

No other injuries were reported.

Investigators focused much of their work along the side of the road, where multiple evidence markers were placed on the pavement.

The shooting unfolded roughly half a block away from the Nissan Gate Apartments, the same area where young brothers Jamarion Rolle and Jahki Clark were shot and killed last month.

What they're saying:

Witnesses in the neighborhood described a chaotic start to their morning as sirens and a police helicopter swarmed the area. 

"All morning long, helicopter spinning over my house. I come out the house, helicopter spinning," resident Chelsea Brown said.

Neighbor Deontaye Brown said he heard gunfire ring out shortly before emergency vehicles arrived. 

"I heard like 12 shots go off, and I instantly told my girlfriend, ‘Hey, there was just a shooting.’ And then I walk outside and like try to wait around for a minute, and like five minutes after, I instantly heard sirens," Deontaye Brown recalled. 

Deontaye Brown added that he saw the woman and child walking safely down the road after officers secured the scene. 

"I know the mom and the kid are actually safe," Brown said. "They just walked back down the street after everything got set and situated with them."

Neighbors expressed deep frustration and concern regarding recurring violence in the area. 

"They did what they had to do at the end of the day. A baby's life is precious. Listen, hopefully the man is okay," Chelsea Brown said, calling for greater community intervention. "It's too much going on in our neighborhood. There's too many kids around here, and it's a lot of domestic stuff going on in these neighborhoods. And we gotta fix the problem. I don't know if we need help over here, but it's a problem."

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released the names or ages of the suspect, the woman or the child involved.

It remains unclear what triggered the domestic dispute or what specific charges the suspect will face.

Police have also not disclosed the relationship between the suspect and the woman and child he held at gunpoint.

What's next:

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has taken over the inquiry to review the officer's use of force. 

State agents will conduct an independent review of the shooting and present their findings.