2023-07-16 22:55:00
(CNN) — Andre Longmore — the man accused of shooting four people to death in Hampton, Georgia, this Saturday morning — was killed in a shootout with police, according to Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett.
During a press conference held this Sunday, Scandrett announced that authorities tracked down the suspect and confronted him.
“The suspect returned fire and fled,” the sheriff said, adding that authorities gave chase and “he drew a gun once more.”
Authorities then engaged in another shootout with Longmore, who was killed and two officers wounded, according to Scandrett. One of the officers is seriously injured and was airlifted to a hospital.
“He was hit in the back,” the sheriff said. “He is conscious, breathing and speaking.”
Calling it an “absolute honor” to serve with those deputies, the sheriff said community members “can breathe a little easier, sleep a little better tonight. This monster is off our streets.”
Longmore is accused of shooting four people to death, sparking a manhunt throughout Atlanta as police departments across the metro region worked to track him down.
This photo provided by the Hampton Police Department in Hampton, Georgia shows the suspect, Andre Longmore. (Photo: Hampton Police Department/AP)
The mass shooting was reported around 10:45 a.m. ET Saturday, Hampton Police Chief James Turner said at a news conference Saturday followingnoon.
The incident occurred in an area near the Dogwood Lakes subdivision in Hampton -regarding 46 kilometers south of Atlanta-, an area that has houses facing the lake and a nearby Baptist church.
Police identified the victims this Sunday, three men and a woman who were in their sixties: Scott Leavitt, 67; his wife, Shirley Leavitt, 66; Steve Blizzard, 65; and Ronald Jeffers, 66. Turner said all four lived in the subdivision.
Authorities said the suspect, who also lived in the Dogwood Lakes community, stole the vehicle of Blizzard, one of the victims.
Authorities were offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to Longmore’s arrest. “The suspect is known to be armed and dangerous,” Scandrett said Saturday, vowing to “hunt down” Longmore.
Police said Saturday the motive was unclear and they did not believe Longmore was related to any of the victims.
Hampton Police Department Chief James Turner speaks at a news conference following the shooting. Credit: WANF
At a news conference, Hampton Mayor Ann Tarpley said Saturday that “today is a sad and somber time,” vowing that the guilty party would be held accountable and “brought to justice.”
“We ask that you lift the families and victims up in your prayers, in your thoughts, and to give them the privacy they may need to get through this horrible tragedy,” he continued. “We have full confidence in our law enforcement that they will carry out their duties and bring the suspect to justice.”
The shooting is one of at least 387 mass shootings in the United States in 2023, according to the Gun Violence File. The file, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one that injured or killed four or more people, not including the shooter.
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