Officials release the names of 2 deputies in Georgia who were shot, killed

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Two deputies in suburban Atlanta died Thursday night after being shot while serving a warrant, authorities said.

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Update 5:50 p.m. EDT Sept. 9: According to WSB-TV, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office identified the two deputies who were killed in the line of duty Thursday as Marshall Ervin Jr., 38, and Jonathan Koleski, 40.

Both Ervin and Koleski were married. Ervin was a father of two children, according to WSB-TV.

Update 2:40 p.m. EDT Sept. 9: Officials on Friday identified the suspected shooters as Christopher Cook and Christopher Golden, WSB-TV reported. They are expected to make their first appearances in court later Friday, according to the news station.

Earlier, Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens said that two of his deputies were “ambushed” as they were serving a warrant. Authorities have not released the deputies’ names.

Update 1:56 a.m. EDT Sept. 9: “We lost two young, bright deputies,” Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens said during a news conference Thursday night. “They served with dignity and honor.”

Owens said that two suspects were in custody and were being questioned by the Cobb County Police Department.

“My two deputies were ambushed this evening and killed,” Owens told reporters, adding that they were shot after getting out of their cars and began talking to the suspects. “What words can you say when you lose a family member? And those words don’t come easy.

“Our hearts are broken here in Cobb County. Our hearts are definitely broken.”

The sheriff said the warrant being served was for failure to appear by theft of deception. Owens added that when the standoff ended, both suspects surrendered peacefully.

Owens added that the names of the deputies will be released after next-of-kin notification.

Original report: According to a tweet by the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, the deputies were killed by a suspect who remained barricaded inside a building.

Cobb County SWAT and Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Teams (FAST) were at the scene in the Marietta area of Cobb County, WSB-TV reported.

The names of the deputies and the suspect have not been released. It was unclear what type of warrant was being served.

“We will release additional information, including the names of the fallen deputies, as it becomes available,” the sheriff’s office said.

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