Cobb County officer out of hospital, suspect in critical condition after shooting

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A police officer shot while responding to a call is now out of the hospital.

Neighbors woke up to gunfire in their Austell neighborhood Wednesday night.

Cobb County police say there was an officer-involved shooting and it started shortly after 11 p.m.

“It was, like, a series of, like, four to five gunshots, and then it stopped and then I went upstairs for some reason, and when I came back, I heard another four to five gunshots and I heard all the yelling from the police,” neighbor Efrain Lopez said.

Police say it all started when someone called 911 after hearing gunshots.

[INTERACTIVE MAP: Shootings involving law enforcement across Georgia in 2020]

When officers arrived, there wasn't anyone outside. They actually went the residence where the shots had been fired from, police said.

The GBI says as one officer approached the front door of that home, the other officer noticed 58-year-old James Rucker in the doorway and fired in his direction. Rucker was shot multiple times by the officer and Rucker also fired at one officer.

The officer was shot in the hand and is expected to be OK. We were there as he was leaving Grady Memorial Hospital hours later, and he appeared to be in good spirits.

TRENDING STORIES:

• “She is everything to us:” Family releases new info. about young couple killed in jet crash
• 14-year-old girl shot, killed after gunmen stormed into Coweta County home
• Atlanta Botanical Gardens offers free admission this week in honor of Anne Cox Chambers

The officer is expected to be OK and Channel 2 Action News was there as he was released from the hospital.

Cobb police have not identified the officer but told Channel 2 he has been on the force for less than a year. He is in his 20s.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting. This is the 16th officer-involved shooting they responded to this year.

© 2020 Cox Media Group