A shooting at a hotel in suburban Atlanta on February 1 left one Georgia police officer dead and another seriously injured, authorities said.
Gwinnett County Police Chief James D. McClure said in a news conference that two officers responded to a report of fraud at a hotel in Stone Mountain, Georgia, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta, at 7:30 a.m. local time. When officers arrived, they went to the room of the person who appeared to have fraudulently used the credit card, McClure said.
Officers made contact with the suspect, who invited them inside, McClure added.
“They started discussing scenarios and incidents with him,” the police chief said. “Then, at some point, the suspect pulled out a handgun and fired at a Gwinnett County police officer in an unprovoked attack.”
McClure said two officers were stopped and one returned fire, injuring the suspect. After the shooting, both officers and the suspect were taken to a local hospital.
One of the officers, Pradeep Tamang, 25, was later pronounced dead, McClure said. The second officer, Sergeant David M. Reed, remains in critical but stable condition.
The police chief said the suspect, later identified as Kevin Andrews, 35, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Once Andrews is released from the hospital, he will be transferred to prison. No further injuries were reported.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took control of the shooting investigation, authorities said.
police officer identified
In a statement to USA TODAY, the Gwinnett County Police Department announced that Tamang joined the department in July 2024 and graduated from the police academy in May 2025. At a news conference, McClure said Tamang is originally from Nepal and immigrated to the United States about 10 years ago.
Reed joined the Gwinnett County Police Department in September 2015, according to the statement.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp mourned the death of the officer on social media and prayed for the deputy’s recovery.
“This is the latest reminder of the dangers law enforcement faces on a daily basis,” Kemp said. “We are grateful to all those who put themselves at risk to protect their fellow Georgians.”
Preliminary Investigation: Person Reported for Credit Card Fraud
In a news release, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it was investigating the shooting at the request of Gwinnett County police. The agency said the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office will review the case once the investigation is complete.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, a preliminary investigation revealed that Gwinnett County police responded to the Holiday Inn Express after receiving a call alleging a stolen credit card. Earlier in the day, a South Carolinian had reported fraudulent use of his credit card at a Holiday Inn Express.
After the two officers arrived at the hotel, they were told by the front desk manager that the room had been rented to Andrews, the agency said. Officers spoke with Andrews in his room about the fraudulent credit card use and learned that he had an active warrant for failure to appear in DeKalb County, also located in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
McClure said at a news conference that Andrews has a “long criminal history” with multiple felony convictions, including violent crimes, gun crimes and drug charges.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that as officers tried to arrest Andrews, Andrews pulled out a handgun and fired at the officers. Additional officers were then called to the scene, and the officers and the suspect were taken to the hospital.
