Fayette County

4-year-old in home when mother was killed, deputies say

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — Police are sorting out the moments before a woman was shot and killed inside a home.

Authorities say a man was also shot, and medics rushed him to Grady Memorial Hospital.

Sheriff’s deputies told Channel 2’s Steve Gehlbach that a child was inside the home at the time of the shooting Tuesday morning but was not injured.

Nathan Cochran, a witness, called 911 around 8 a.m. when they heard gunshots from the end of the home on the 200 block of Tyrone Road.

Cochran told Willis that he arrived at the home, which doubles as a tree service business, on Tyrone Road, where he says the owner ran outside with a warning.

"He has a knife in his hand and he says please leave, call the police because he's going to kill everybody," Cochran said.

The owner was talking about his brother who was armed with a gun, and Cochran says he took the advice and left.

"As we're backing up, we hear about three gunshots and as we're pulling out, we hear a woman scream, a man scream and another gunshot," Cochran said.

Authorities confirmed the woman, who was a mother to a four-year-old son, was shot and killed.

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The child was inside the home at the time of the shooting but was asleep and did not witness the shooting.

Authorities brought the son outside in what was a heartbreaking scene.

"He's going to grow up without a family, without a mom and a dad. Without question, regardless of whether the father lives or dies," Cochran said.

The Fayette County sheriff tells us they have interviewed another person who was on the scene.

Cochran says that was the shooter's brother who was questioned and released. Cochran believes that man acted to end the attack but it was too late for the female victim.

"She took care of her husband, took care of her kids, took care of the family, a regular homemaker. It's just sad," Cochran said.

The sheriff says the suspected killer is at Grady Hospital in critical condition.