Burglary Call Ends with Suspect Dead, Officers Injured

Late Friday night, two Smyrna police officers were injured, and a suspect was fatally shot during a response to a burglary at a Cobb County gun store.

Both officers, whose names have not been released, suffered gunshot wounds to their legs. The suspect, also unidentified, was killed by police at the scene.

According to Smyrna Police Chief Keith Zgonc, officers responded to a call at Adventure Outdoors, a gun store located on Cobb Drive, just before midnight. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) reported that upon arrival, officers were met by an employee who informed them that the suspect was inside the store. The suspect allegedly opened fire, prompting Smyrna and Cobb officers to return fire. As officers attempted to arrest the suspect, he broke free and fired at them with a rifle slung around his neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The injured officers were transported to a hospital, where their injuries were deemed non-life-threatening.

At a press conference, Chief Zgonc expressed frustration, stating, “It angers me that we have people who want to do this, who want to take shots at police officers, who want to do us harm.”

The GBI is conducting an independent investigation into the incident, and its findings will be forwarded to the Cobb County district attorney’s office for review.