Paulding County Mourns the Loss of Deputy Brandon Cunningham, Father of Two
A Georgia sheriff’s deputy was tragically killed on Saturday night after being “ambushed” while responding to a domestic dispute call, according to officials. The incident took place in Paulding County and has left the local community and law enforcement deeply shaken.
Deputy Brandon Cunningham identified as fallen officer
Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge confirmed that the fallen officer was 30-year-old Deputy Brandon Cunningham, a devoted father of two. “Tonight, we’ve lost a hero,” Sheriff Gulledge said, his voice heavy with emotion.
Deputy Cunningham and another deputy were responding to a domestic dispute at a home in Hiram when they were unexpectedly met with gunfire from inside the residence, according to Major Ashley Henson, who spoke at a press conference late Saturday night. “Unfortunately, it appears as if our deputies were ambushed,” Henson stated, describing the incident as a “tremendously tragic situation.”
Details of the tragic incident
Upon arriving at the scene, the deputies were immediately fired upon by the suspect, who was inside the home. Cunningham was struck by the gunfire, while his partner narrowly escaped injury. In addition to Cunningham, a female victim at the scene was also shot and was rushed to the ICU, where she remains in stable condition, officials reported.
The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was found dead at the scene from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A community in mourning
Deputy Cunningham had served with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Department since 2020. His death marks the first time an officer from the department has been killed in the line of duty. The loss has reverberated throughout the department and the wider community.
In a statement shared on Facebook, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office expressed their grief, calling this event “one of the hardest in the history of the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.”
Sheriff Gulledge, speaking at the press conference, urged the community to come together in support of Cunningham’s family and colleagues. “I ask that you pray for this family—both blood and blue,” he said. “Everybody here is hurting, our whole staff is hurting.”
The death of Deputy Cunningham serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face every day, and the profound impact such losses have on the communities they serve.