Police: 5 dead, including gunman, in Ga. shooting

Associated Press

DOUGLASVILLE, GA.

A man shot six people Saturday afternoon, killing four of them, including his ex-wife and several children before turning the gun on himself on a quiet, suburban street west of Atlanta, police and neighbors said.

Horrified neighbors called 911 and tended to the severely injured victims as best they could before rescuers arrived.

The shooting occurred around 3 p.m. in a subdivision about 20 miles west of Atlanta, Douglas County Sheriff’s Lt. Glenn Daniel said.

The shooter, whose name was not immediately released, appeared to have targeted his ex-wife and his own family, including several children who tried to flee, Daniel said.

Authorities did not release the names of the victims because they were still trying to contact the next of kin Saturday. Investigators believe the gunman killed himself at the end of the shooting spree.

Investigators were still trying to determine the shooter’s motive and piece together what happened.

“I’ve been in law enforcement out here 20 years and this is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Daniel said.

He did not know when the couple divorced or if they had previous contact with law enforcement.

Teresa Carter, 59, said she heard the gunfire from inside her home but did not see what happened. Police said victims were shot inside and outside the home.