6 Georgia Officers Shot, 2 Dead

Georgia police have had one of their bloodiest holiday seasons in history. Within only six days, six officers have been shot in the line of duty, and two perished from their wounds.

Three pairs of Georgia police officers were shot during three separate incidents, according to NBC News.

Officers Nick Smarr (25) and Jody Smith (26) were both fatally shot while responding to a domestic call on December 7. Smarr responded to the call first, with Smith following as backup.

The suspect responsible for the two deceased officers, 32-year-old Minquell Kennedy Lembrick, allegedly shot Smarr and Smith on the spot.

Details of the specific nature of any altercation are currently unknown.

Smarr was shot and killed, while Smith was left in critical condition. Smith died of his wounds on December 8.

A search party eventually found Lembrick dead the following morning from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Officers William Patterson (26) and James Wynn (27) were shot during a drug raid on December 12, an incident unrelated to the call that claimed the lives of officers Smarr and Smith.

Patterson and Wynn were reportedly part of a drug task force that took fire while executing a probable cause warrant.

Officers forced entry into the house in question after they received no answer from knocking on the door.

”What we do know is that they announced, they made entry, and upon entry, the subject fired at least one round,” Special Agent J.T. Rickson told The Washington Post.

”After receiving fire…a couple of [officers] returned fire. We’re still determining who all fired shots and how many shots were fired.”

Both officers were shot in their left arms, and were taken to the hospital for treatment. Wynn underwent surgical treatment for his wounds and is expected to live, and Patterson has since been treated and released.

Two other unnamed officers were shot after pulling over a suspect named Khari Anthony Dashaun Gordon on December 12.

One officer was shot in the shoulder, and the other responding officer received wounds to the hand and leg.

The shooter has since been taken into custody, according to International Business Times.

Sources: International Business Times/Yahoo News, The Washington Post, NBC News/Photo Credit: matthrono/Flickr