A Georgia man accused of shooting his wife was killed after turning the gun on deputies, state investigators say.
It happened around 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, as Coweta County deputies responded to a domestic dispute at a home in Senoia, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities said the man, 76-year-old Michael Adams, shot his wife and was still armed when law enforcement arrived. They ordered him to put down the gun but he refused, investigators said.
Adams then aimed the weapon at deputies, prompting two of them and a responding officer to open fire, the GBI said. He was struck and died at the scene.
An autopsy report is pending, investigators said in a news release.
Adams’ wife was taken to a hospital, the GBI said. Her condition wasn’t known as of May 15.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
Senoia is about 40 miles southwest of downtown Atlanta.
Gun violence in the U.S.
Thousands of people die every year from firearm injuries in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Firearm injuries are a serious public health problem,” officials said. “In 2020, there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in the United States — that’s about 124 people dying from a firearm-related injury each day.”
Firearm-related injuries were one of the top leading causes of death for people ages 1 to 44 in 2020, the CDC reported.
The impact of gun violence, however, goes beyond the death toll, experts said.
“The effects of firearm violence extend beyond victims and their families,” according to the CDC. “Shooting incidents, including those in homes, schools, houses of worship, workplaces, shopping areas, on the street or at community events can affect the sense of safety and security of entire communities and impact everyday decisions.”