Georgia Police: Man Called 911, Then Ambushed Responding Officer

A Georgia man called 911 Friday morning to report a car break-in to lure a police officer to the location and when the responding officer arrived, he opened fire, officials said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the the suspect as 22-year-old Stephen Paul Beck, who struck Officer Randall Hancock at least three times by gunfire. Hancock was able to shoot back and wound Beck during the exchange in Valdosta.

Officials said two of the shots hit the officer's protective vest, while the third wounded him in the abdomen. Both Beck and Hancock were taken to separate hospitals for treatment.

It was not immediately apparent that the 911 call was related to the shooting, which took place just hours after five Dallas police officers were killed and 12 wounded in an ambush that took place near the end of a peaceful protest march in the same area.

"There is no indication of a connection to the police shootings in Dallas, Texas," the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Friday in a statement.

According to officials familiar with the incident, Hancock had just exited his police cruiser when shots started to fire near an apartment complex at 8:12 a.m.

The man's motive is unknown at this point, but the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting a probe into the ordeal.

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