Georgia Officer Killed, Another Wounded in 'Unprovoked' Hotel Room Ambush
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A routine follow-up on a fraud complaint turned deadly Sunday morning when a suspect allegedly ambushed two Gwinnett County police officers inside a Holiday Inn Express room, killing one and leaving the other fighting for his life.
The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. at a hotel near Stone Mountain, about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Officers Pradeep Tamang, 25, and David Reed, a nine-year veteran, were investigating a report of fraudulent credit card use traced to the room.
Police Chief J.D. McClure, his voice heavy during a press conference, detailed the moments leading to the violence. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Kevin Andrews of Decatur, met the officers at his door and invited them in. "They began a conversation regarding the incident," McClure stated. "At some point, without warning or provocation, the suspect produced a handgun and fired upon our officers."
Officer Tamang, who had joined the force earlier this year, was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Officer Reed was transported with serious injuries and remains in stable but critical condition. Andrews was shot during the exchange by return fire from one of the officers and is expected to survive. He faces multiple charges including malice murder and aggravated assault on a public safety officer.
Authorities later confirmed Andrews had an active warrant out of DeKalb County for failure to appear in court. The GBI, which handles officer-involved shootings in Georgia, is leading the ongoing investigation.
The attack sent shockwaves through the law enforcement community and state leadership. Governor Brian Kemp posted on social media, mourning "the loss of a brave officer" and highlighting the daily dangers police face. The incident marks another grim statistic in a year that has seen heightened violence against officers during seemingly low-risk interactions.
/// PUBLIC REACTION ///
Michael Rodriguez, 58, retired police sergeant from Atlanta: "This wasn't a traffic stop or a high-risk warrant service. This was a fraud call. It shows there's no such thing as a 'routine' call anymore. These officers let their guard down because the suspect was cooperative initially—that's a tactic we're seeing more often."
Sarah Chen, 34, local community advocate: "My heart breaks for Officer Tamang's family and for Officer Reed. The trauma from this will ripple through that entire department and our community. We need to have a serious conversation about support systems for officers and how to de-escalate situations before they reach a hotel room."
Derrick Mills, 41, security analyst and former Marine: "This is a calculated, cold-blooded execution. The guy had a warrant, knew he was going back to jail, and decided to take officers with him. The system failed by letting someone with his record and an active warrant be on the street to begin with. Where's the accountability? It's a war on cops, and polite society is just ignoring it."
Rebecca Carter, 29, hotel employee in a neighboring county: "It's terrifying. We're front desk workers, not law enforcement. We give room numbers to police all the time. Are we putting targets on our guests? Are we putting ourselves in danger? This changes everything."