A Georgia police officer is “fighting for his life” after he was shot while responding to a shoplifting report at a Walmart Monday afternoon, according to local police.
When a suspect exited the Walmart in Covington — about 35 miles east of Atlanta — and started to flee, the officer ran after him, an official with the Covington Police Department told ABC News.
The officer, who was not identified, was shot and is listed in stable condition, according to a news conference from authorities.
A second gunshot was then heard, and the suspect was found shot dead, authorities said. It was not immediately clear if the suspect’s gunshot wound was self-inflicted or not, authorities said.
The shooting took place in a secluded, wooded area away from the Walmart, police said, so there were no eyewitnesses.
Two other suspects are in custody, police said.
“There is no such thing as a routine call … today’s an example of that,” police officials said at a news conference. “Things can turn bad and ugly in a heartbeat.”
“The injured officer is fighting for his life,” officials said. “We’re just praying for his health.”
It’s not yet clear if the officer fired a shot, police said.
The case has been turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, police said.
