A 25-year-old Gwinnett County police officer died Sunday morning after being attacked while responding to a call at a hotel, the department said.
Pradeep Tamang, a native of Nepal, had been with the department less than a year, Chief J.D. McClure said Sunday afternoon.
A second officer, Cpl. David Reed, was critically injured in the shooting, but officers were able to return fire, striking and injuring the suspect, police said.
Members of the community began taking flowers and notes of condolences to the department headquarters. Inside, McClure spoke to members of the media, vowing that the work of his officers will not stop.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
“We as a police department will not be deterred,” the chief said. “We will continue to provide for the safety of this community. We ask the community to continue to support us. Again, we’ve always enjoyed great support of our citizens here in Gwinnett, and we need you at this time. But as I said, we will not be deterred.”
At 7:30 a.m., the officers were dispatched to the Holiday Inn Express Atlanta on East Park Place Boulevard in response to “an allegation of credit card theft,” according to the GBI.
The state agency said a person from South Carolina called police to report their credit card being fraudulently used at the hotel. When the officers arrived, officials said they spoke with the front desk manager, who told them a room was being rented to the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Kevin Andrews.
The two officers then made contact with Andrews, who allowed them into his room, McClure said. Police didn’t elaborate on what happened inside the room before the shooting, but the GBI said they spoke to Andrews about “the fraudulent use of the credit card.”
“After learning that Andrews had an active warrant for failure to appear out of DeKalb County, officers attempted to arrest Andrews,” the GBI said. “Andrews pulled out a handgun and fired at the officers, hitting both of them.”
The chief called it an “unprovoked assault.”
One officer was able to return fire, McClure said. The two officers and the alleged shooter were taken to the hospital. Tamang died from his injuries at Northside Hospital Gwinnett, police said.
Reed was taken into surgery in critical condition, according to the GBI, which was requested to investigate by Gwinnett police. Agents were on the scene, spokesperson Sara Lue told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
Sunday’s shooting was the second in four days involving Georgia officers. On Thursday, a Warner Robins officer was critically injured in a shooting, according to the GBI. A woman was also injured, and a suspect was arrested in that incident.
Andrews, who is accused of shooting the Gwinnett officers, has a lengthy criminal history, McClure said. He will be booked into the Gwinnett jail after his release from the hospital, the chief said.
The GBI later said Andrews has been charged with one count each of malice murder and felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault on a public safety officer and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“These officers are heroes,” the chief said. “They go out onto the road every day and face uncertainty. But they also understand that at the end of the day, we provide a very valuable service to the residents of Gwinnett County, and that is safety.”
Tamang is the sixth officer from the Gwinnett agency killed in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks law enforcement deaths. He joined the department in July 2024 and graduated from the academy in May, police said.
Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department
Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department
Before Sunday, the last Gwinnett police officer killed was Antwan Toney on Oct. 20, 2018. He was killed while responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle near Shiloh Middle School in unincorporated Snellville, according to police.
Toney and Reed were in the same recruit class, McClure said Sunday.
The alleged gunman was the subject of an extensive search before he was shot and killed after refusing to surrender and pointing a lawnmower blade at officers.
The officer who died Sunday was the first from Georgia killed in the line of duty this year. In 2025, four Georgia officers lost their lives on the job.
Tamang was engaged to be married, McClure said.
The department was making arrangements for the officer’s family members to travel from Pennsylvania to Georgia, the chief said.
“Today, we join the Gwinnett County Police Department in mourning the loss of a brave officer and are praying for the swift recovery of another,“ Gov. Brian Kemp said in a social media post. ”This is the latest reminder of the dangers law enforcement face on a daily basis, and we are grateful for every one that puts themselves in harm’s way to protect their fellow Georgians."
Law enforcement agencies around the state posted condolences on social media.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our brother and sisters in Gwinnett County,” the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office said. “Please remember them and their families during this difficult time.”
The Gwinnett County Police Foundation created an online fundraiser to accept donations for the families of the two officers.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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