Georgia deputy sheriff killed in Paulding County shooting

HIRAM, Georgia (Atlanta News First) – The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of a deputy who was killed in the line of duty Saturday.

Deputy Brandon Cunningham, 30, died of his injuries after being shot while responding to a domestic dispute Saturday night, the sheriff's office said.

Officials said one gunman died after an hours-long standoff. They said a woman named Kim Thao Vu, 52, was also shot inside the home before officers arrived.

Vu was taken to hospital in serious condition.

According to the sheriff's office, Cunningham was the first Paulding County deputy to die in the line of duty.

“This has never happened in the history of the Paulding County Sheriff's Office,” said Major Ashley Henson of the Sheriff's Office during a press conference Saturday evening. “We have never lost a deputy in the line of duty.”

Cunningham and another deputy responded to a domestic dispute at a home on Foggy Creek Lane in the Harmony Creek neighborhood of Hiram around 6:15 p.m.

Authorities said a man inside the house immediately began shooting at officers, hitting Cunningham.

“Unfortunately, it appears our officers were ambushed,” Henson said.

In a Facebook post, the sheriff's office said: “Cunningham was shot as he exited his patrol car. He was not even aware of the threat before his execution.”

SWAT teams from various agencies arrived to provide assistance during the ensuing standoff.

Cunningham was taken to a hospital where he later died.

Officials said the suspect committed suicide. He was identified as James Samuel Atkins, 42. Atkins was Vu's husband.

“This is an incredibly tragic situation,” Henson said. “Our hearts are broken. We are holding each other together, but there is … there is already grief. There are already tears.”

Cunningham began working for the sheriff's department in 2020 and was in the uniform patrol division for about two years. He graduated from Marietta High School in 2012, according to the Marietta Police Department.

He leaves behind two children.

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