Paulding County Deputy Brandon Cunningham died trying to serve his community.
“It’s just a shame that for no reason he lost his life,” Major Ashley Henson said Monday. “He was trying to go help.”
Cunningham was responding to a domestic violence call Saturday night when he was gunned down in a neighborhood near Hiram, about 30 miles northwest of Atlanta. He was getting out of a patrol car when he was ambushed within 8 seconds of arriving, according to investigators. Cunningham was 30.
“When they got there, they were met with evil,” Henson said at news conference Monday afternoon.
Investigators believe James Samuel Atkins, 42, fired at deputies from the second story of his Foggy Creek Lane home. The GBI said he used a high-powered rifle equipped with a scope, firing at least 16 rounds at Cunningham and his partner from a distance of about 84 feet. He also shot his wife, investigators said.
“The shooter had every advantage in the world,” Henson said.
When Cunningham was shot, his partner called for additional deputies. None were able to return fire, and they couldn’t immediately reach the injured deputy, Henson said.
Cunningham was taken by ambulance to Wellstar Paulding Medical Center about three miles away, where he was pronounced dead.
After an hours-long standoff involving multiple metro-area law enforcement agencies, Atkins was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot late Saturday, police said.
Atkins’ criminal record included a felony conviction for a Cobb County robbery, Henson said. State records show he spent nearly four years at Scott State Prison before being released in November 2003. Georgia law forbids felons from owning firearms, and investigators said they were looking into how Atkins acquired the gun used in the deputy’s slaying.
Cunningham was the first Paulding deputy killed in the line of duty since the department was founded in 1834. On Monday, flowers and notes filled the hood of a patrol car outside the sheriff’s office.
Tom and Linda Bohnn were among those who stopped by to pay their respects.
“We love him,” Tom Bohnn said. “What more can you ask of a man to give his life for his brother, and he did.”
His wife echoed those sentiments.
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
“Our police officers go to work every day, and they should be able to go home to their families,” Linda Bohnn said. “We know it’s a broken world. But we just pray for his loved ones and we pray for the community and this world that the light of Jesus could be what shines. We want to honor him and honor his life and honor his service.”
The deputy’s death quickly made national headlines. Locally, the Paulding Public Safety Appreciation group was accepting donations for Cunningham’s family and is selling T-shirts and bracelets to honor the deputy being remembered as a hero.
Paulding Sheriff Gary Gulledge said Cunningham was widely admired within the department for his positive attitude and big heart. He adored his two children, enjoyed gaming and loved the Atlanta Braves win-or-lose, Gulledge said. The Marietta High School graduate was also a “sneakerhead,” the sheriff said, referencing Cunningham’s extensive shoe collection.
“He always in a good mood,” Gulledge said. “His smile was contagious and would light up whatever room he walked into.”
Former Marietta High School principal Leigh Colburn described the fallen deputy as kind and conscientious.
“He was a beloved son, brother and father in a close-knit family who is a valued part of the Marietta community,” Colburn said. “Brandon acted with selflessness and courage and he died a hero — giving his life in an effort to protect someone else.”
Colburn’s husband is a detective in Elijay and her son is a police officer in Smyrna, so the news of Cunningham’s death hit her family especially hard, she said.
“It is a unique and special calling just as Brandon was a unique and special man,” his former principal said, noting the Marietta community is looking for ways to help support his children and family in their time of need.
Cunningham’s visitation and funeral are planned for Friday at West Ridge Church in Dallas. The sheriff’s office said he will be buried at Kennesaw Memorial Park, located off Whitlock Avenue in Marietta. The time for the service has not yet been announced.
The two-story home where Cunningham was killed remained boarded up Monday after SWAT teams used armored vehicles, robots, and drones to force their way inside. The sound of breaking glass could still be heard falling from shattered windows.
Credit: Alexis Stevens/AJC
Credit: Alexis Stevens/AJC
Neighbors gathered outside on the usually quiet street were still processing what happened and didn’t want their names published. A woman at the scene who identified herself as Atkins’ aunt said he’d been a good man. A neighbor said she had heard the couple who lived in the home argue, but she never imagined Atkins could be violent.
The neighbor said he kept a meticulous yard and was always willing to help others. He had recently helped her with a home project and refused to take money for the work.
“He had his problems. But he was a good guy,” she said.
HOW TO HELP THE CUNNINGHAM FAMILY
Those wishing to help Deputy Cunningham’s family can donate through the Paulding Public Safety Appreciation, Inc. (PPSA). PPSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit; all donations are tax-deductible. The PPSA President can be reached at info@pauldingpsa.org or 706-622-7011.
