2nd officer injured in Americus shooting dies

AMERICUS, Ga. — The second officer shot while responding to a domestic dispute in south Georgia has died.

Authorities said Georgia Southwestern State University Police Officer Smith died from his injuries Thursday. This comes on the same day the suspect in the shooting, killed himself after a massive manhunt.

The shooting happened Wednesday morning in Americus at an apartment complex.

Investigators said Officer Nicholas Smarr of the Americus Police Department and Georgia Southwestern Officer Jody Smith were responding to a domestic disturbance call when Minquell Lembrick shot them.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Police: Suspect in Americus officers' shooting is dead
• Family says 11-year-old accidentally killed 14-year-old
• Mother, daughter found dead in well in North Carolina

Smarr died shortly afterward Smith was airlifted to a Macon hospital, where he died from his injuries Thursday.

The GBI sent out a statement early Thursday evening saying: "We offer our deepest condolences to his family during this very difficult time. Officer Smith was a bright, young and energetic officer, and he will be sorely missed.”

Smarr's uncle took to Facebook Wednesday to honor his nephew and the brave actions he took to try to save his best friend.

“After firing a half dozen rounds at the suspect, Nick ran to his fellow officer and BEST friend, he rolled him from his face down position and performed CPR until he could no longer continue. When other officers arrived at the scene, Nick Smarr was lying across his fallen comrade and best friend where he had succumbed to his injuries,” Michael Waters wrote in his post.

Waters called Lembrick “a coward (who) shot two officers without cause for no other reason than to kill.”

Lembrick was already wanted on kidnapping charges before the shooting and the officers didn't know he would be at the domestic disturbance call.

Elliot was at the scene Thursday morning with officers as they moved into the house where Lembrick was barricaded in Americus.  Scott said Lembrick was found dead inside from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Elliot said police set up a quick perimeter and then they heard the single gunshot from where Lembrick was holed up.

Nearly 100 people watched the SWAT scene unfold.

At one point, when Lembrick's family learned what happened, Elliot said SWAT officers rushed to them as tempers flared. Heavily armed police kept the crowd on the other side of the road.

Sumter County NAACP Chapter President Rev. Mathis Wright said police did everything right.

“At this point, we don't see anything that has been done that was not done correctly and by the book,” Wright said.

So far, no funeral arrangements have been made for the two officers.

Cox Media Group