1 officer dead, 1 hurt in shooting near GA Southwestern State campus

AMERICUS, Ga. (AP) — The Latest on the shooting of two police officers in south Georgia (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

Authorities have identified an officer who was shot and killed in south Georgia and another who was critically injured while responding to a domestic violence call.

Americus Police Chief Mark Scott said Americus police Officer Nicholas Smarr died and Georgia Southwestern State University Officer Jodi Smith was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition. Both had been officers since 2012.

Authorities said the officers were shot while responding to a report of a domestic dispute at an apartment complex near the campus about 9:40 a.m. Wednesday.

Scott said the suspect, 32-year-old Minguell Kennedy Lembrick, was still at large and local, state and federal law enforcement officers were searching for him.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan said his agency and the FBI are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to Lembrick’s arrest.

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3:30 p.m.

Messages including “not going to jail” have been posted on the Facebook page of a man wanted in the shootings of two Georgia police officers.

Shortly after the shootings Wednesday, a message posted on the page of Minguell Kennedy Lembrick read: “other life gone not going to jail.”

One officer died Wednesday and another was critically injured after being shot at an apartment complex in Americus, about 130 miles south of Atlanta. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified Lembrick as the suspect.

Also posted to Lembrick’s account was a brief Facebook Live video showing a young man partly concealed by shadows saying, “I’m gonna miss y’all folk, man.” The final message on Lembrick’s page read: “Love yall.”

GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles confirmed to The Associated Press that the Facebook page belongs to Lembrick.

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3 p.m.

Georgia authorities say they are looking for a 32-year-old man who they believe is armed and dangerous in connection with the fatal shooting of one police officer and the wounding of another.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Nelly Miles has identified the suspect as Minguell Kennedy Lembrick.

Miles said an Americus officer and a Georgia Southwestern State University officer were shot while responding to a report of a domestic dispute at an apartment complex near the campus about 9:40 a.m. Wednesday. Miles says Lembrick is still at large.

Miles said the Americus police officer died and the university officer was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition. Americus is about 130 miles south of Atlanta.

The university issued an alert on its website saying the shooting occurred off campus but that the campus was on lockdown.

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2:15 p.m.

Authorities say one of the police officers shot in Georgia while responding to a domestic dispute has died and another is in critical condition.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Nelly Miles says the Americus officer and a Georgia Southwestern State University officer were shot while responding to a report of a domestic dispute at an apartment complex near the campus about 9:40 a.m. Wednesday. Miles says the shooter is still at large.

Miles said the Americus police officer died and the university officer was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition. Americus is about 130 miles south of Atlanta.

The university issued an alert on its website saying the shooting occurred off campus but that the campus was on lockdown.

1:35 P.M. — Americus flags will fly at half-mast to memorialize a fallen police officer, according to Chief Mark Scott.

He confirms the suspect 32-year-old Minguell Kennedy Lembrick was involved in a domestic incident at apartments near GSU Wednesday morning when he shot the Americus officer and a Georgia Southwestern State University campus security officer.

Helicopter response units are responding to the area to aid in the search. Scott says police believe the Lembrick is still hiding in the area.

12:45 P.M. — Americus Police Chief Mark Scott confirms one of the department’s officers is dead and a Georgia Southwestern campus security officer is in “very, very critical condition”. Both were shot at an apartment complex near the Georgia Southwestern State University campus.

The school remains on lockdown while police search for the suspect.

Bryant says the officers’ names have not been released.

12:41 P.M. — Americus police name the suspect who shot and injured two officers Wednesday morning as 32-year-old Minguell Kennedy Lembrick.

An administrative assistant with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office says an Americus police officer and a public safety officer from Georgia Southwestern State University were both shot at an apartment complex near the campus.

12 P.M. — The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office confirms to WRBL one of two officers shot Wednesday morning has been airlifted to a Macon hospital for treatment.