India Tribune Newsdesk

Atlanta: Four members of an Indian-origin family were shot dead in a shocking incident linked to an apparent domestic dispute in the US state of Georgia, authorities said. The shooting took place in the early hours of Friday, January 23, at a residence on Brook Ivy Court in Lawrenceville, a quiet suburb near Atlanta, leaving the local community stunned and drawing a response from Indian officials.

Gwinnett County Police said they received a “shots fired” call at around 2:30 a.m. When officers arrived at the scene, they found four adults inside the home with fatal gunshot wounds. The victims were identified as Meemu Dogra, 43, the wife of the suspect; Gourav Kumar, 33; Nidhi Chander, 37; and Harish Chander, 38. All were pronounced dead at the scene. One of the victims was an Indian national, confirmed the Consulate General of India in Atlanta.

Police said three young children were inside the house when the shooting occurred. To protect themselves, the children hid together in a closet, and one of them managed to call 911. Investigators said the child’s calm and timely call provided crucial information that helped officers reach the scene within minutes. The children were not injured and were later released into the care of a family member.

Because officers arrived quickly, the suspect’s vehicle was still parked in the driveway. Fearing the shooter might still be nearby, police deployed K-9 units and later tracked the suspect to a nearby wooded area, where he was taken into custody without incident.

The suspect was identified as Vijay Kumar, 51, of Atlanta. He has been charged with four counts each of aggravated assault, felony murder and malice murder, along with multiple counts of cruelty to children. Investigators said the incident began with an argument between Dogra and Kumar at their home in Atlanta before they traveled to the Lawrenceville residence, where the fatal shooting occurred. The investigation remains ongoing.