Holly MatkinRex, GA – Two women and a Clayton County police officer were fatally shot and a second officer and a child were wounded during a domestic disturbance on Tuesday night.
The incident began at approximately 8:40 p.m. on Nov. 30 when the Clayton County Police Department (CCPD) received a report of a drive-by shooting in the 3600-block of Jervis Court, the department said in a press release.
Another caller told police there was a female lying motionless in the yard.
Moments later, a third caller notified the agency that a juvenile male had been shot at a separate location.
By the time the third call came in, officers were on the scene rendering aid to the female victim lying in the yard, the CCPD said.
They were simultaneously searching for the wounded juvenile victim when they suddenly came under fire from an unknown direction, according to police.
Officers spotted the gunman running near a residence and returned fire, WXIA reported.
The suspect then shot at them again, hitting and killing CCCPD Field Training Officer Henry Laxson.
CCPD Officer Alex Chandler was shot in the hand during the exchange, WXIA reported.
Police said the gunman was killed during the gun battle.
The woman who was lying on the grass when police arrived died at the scene, and police also found a second deceased female victim nearby, WXIA reported.
The gunman had also shot a 12-year-old boy in the face.
The child was rushed to the hospital and is listed in critical-but-stable condition, the CCPD said.
CCPD Chief Kevin Roberts said during a press conference early Wednesday morning that the wounded boy had actually helped officers by leading them to the location where one of the female victims was located, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“These men and women do an honorable job every day, and it’s unfortunate that we have to make these reports time and time again,” Chief Roberts said. “My heart aches for every police officer and their family that goes through these types of things. These things just shouldn’t happen.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is handling the ongoing investigation into the incident, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
UPDATE: This is field training officer Henry Laxson. He was shot and killed in the line of duty overnight. SWAT officer Alex Chandler was also shot in the hand, he’s expected to be okay. Chief Kevin Roberts says this entire incident is senseless & should’ve never happened. @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/v7bqKLJXDp
— Kristen Holloway (@KHollowayWSB) December 1, 2021
Sound On: A neighborhood just shared with me ring doorbell video, you can hear the barrage of gun fire that echoed in this Clayton Co neighborhood. Two officers were shot and taken to area hospital. Stay with @wsbtv for the latest pic.twitter.com/l5Rpp2o215
— Ashli Lincoln WSB-TV (@AshliLincoln) December 1, 2021
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