DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb Police Department is investigating a shooting at a DoubleTree Hotel where one person died and another person was injured.
It happened at the hotel located in the 4100 block of Lavista Rd in Tucker. A man shot his family member, police said, and then died by suicide. The victim, DeKalb Police said, was taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
One of the windows along a third floor appears to be shattered. Photos show police cars in the parking lot. Police say the shooter and victim are related but didn't say how.
Crystal Mollineaux is staying at the hotel where she found crime scene vans, police vehicles, and crime scene tape when she got back from lunch.
"They said that there had been a shooting on the third floor and said just don't go to the third floor. Then we find out later I think it was a double shooting," Crystal Mollineaux said.
“I almost didn't get out. I obviously didn’t get out of the car because nobody would tell us anything. We're from Atlanta, and we checked out the hotel. It’s supposed to be safe here," Agnes Jones said.
More than 200 known family violence-related fatalities happened in Georgia in 2021, according to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence.
“I still get chills down my spine when I hear of someone to their wife or husband in any kind of way," Kristi Kalison said.
Domestic violence survivor and advocate Kristi Kalison said family members can look for certain warning signs their loved one may be in an abusive relationship.
“A lot of paranoia. A lot of constantly wanting to know what are you doing, where are you going, who are you with?” Kalison said.
Kalison has a message for anyone who feels stuck in a domestic violence situation.
“Just go to someone you trust. Find a way to get out," Kalison said. "Because if it starts with the yelling and the hitting, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do it. He's going to do it. He or she is going to do it again.”
There is no information about the events leading up to the shooting, and police said the investigation is active. They have not released the names of anyone involved, and DeKalb Police did not say if others were around with the shooting occurred.
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