A Paulding County sheriff’s deputy who died after being shot moments after arriving at home near Hiram was being remembered Sunday for his heroic efforts, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputy Brandon Cunningham was shot as he exited his patrol vehicle after he and another deputy arrived at a Foggy Creek Lake home Saturday evening, Sheriff Gary Gulledge said. Cunningham, 30, had been with the Paulding sheriff’s office for just over four years and was the father of two.
“Tonight, we’ve lost a hero,” Gulledge said. “I ask this community, as you always do, to join behind us, stand beside us, and hold us up. This is going to be a tough time for all of us and all of our guys.”
Cunningham was the first deputy from the Paulding sheriff’s office killed in the line of duty. Other local sheriffs, including Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat, Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens and Floyd County Sheriff Dave Roberson, stood behind Gulledge late Saturday as a show of support.
Cunningham had served as a deputy with the sheriff’s office since April 2022, following a two-year stint there as a jailer, records from Georgia’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Council show.
“I know what Paulding County is and I know the people here. I know what you will do,” Gulledge said. “I ask that you please keep this family in your prayers. Even if you’re not in the county, I ask that you pray for this family, both blood and blue. Everybody here is hurting.”
Deputies were called just before 6:15 p.m. to a domestic dispute in the Harmony Creek neighborhood off Virgie Ballentine Drive, according to Major Ashley Henson with the Paulding sheriff’s office. Shots were fired at the first two deputies who arrived at the home, striking one, Henson said.
“It appears our deputies were ambushed,” Henson said.
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
The wife of the alleged shooter was able to escape but later returned to the home. She had also been shot, Henson said. The woman was stable Sunday at a metro Atlanta hospital.
It was not known whether any deputies returned fire toward the alleged shooter, Henson said.
The standoff with the alleged shooter continued shortly before 10 p.m. Multiple police agencies were assisting with the incident, including SWAT teams from Paulding, Cobb police and sheriff’s office, and the GBI. The Georgia State Patrol also had troopers at the scene, Henson said. Hundreds of officers were involved, he said.
Shortly before 11 p.m., Henson said the suspected shooter was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was identified Sunday as 42-year-old James Samuel Atkins.
S.W.A.T. teams were able to enter the home utilizing Bearcat armored vehicles, robots, and drones, Henson said.
The GBI will continue the investigation into the incident, Henson said.
Cunningham was the fifth Georgia law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty this year. He is the only one to have died by gunfire.
“I join all Georgians in grieving Paulding County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Cunningham, who lost his life serving our State in the line of duty,” U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff wrote in a statement Sunday. “My prayers are with Deputy Cunningham’s family, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, and all law enforcement personnel who keep our communities safe.”
A patrol car has been placed outside the sheriff’s office for those wishing to leave condolences to the Cunningham family.
HOW TO HELP
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.
