Georgia Officer Shot Dead While Responding to Suspicious Person Call; Suspect on the Loose

EASTMAN, Ga. (AP) — Authorities say a police officer in a small, central Georgia city has been shot and killed by a suspect who remains on the loose.

Special agent Scott Whitley of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations tells The Associated Press that Eastman Patrol Officer Tim Smith was fatally shot about 9:30 p.m. Saturday in a residential area of the city located about 60 miles southeast of Macon.

Whitley says Smith was responding to a suspicious person call when he encountered the suspect, exited his patrol car and was shot. The suspect fled the scene.

Another Protector murdered! Our Thoughts & Prayers are with Our Brothers & Sisters at the Eastman Georgia PD pic.twitter.com/xW5FRXcT7z

— Thomas R Alber (@ChiefTomAlber) August 14, 2016

Whitley says Smith was in his early 30s but no further information about him was immediately available. He says an unidentified suspect is being sought and an investigation is ongoing.

This story has been updated.