GRANTVILLE, Ga. — Police are searching for at least one armed suspect in connection with the killing of the owner of a gun range in Georgia and his wife and grandson, authorities said Saturday.
Grantville Police Department stated via Facebook that Friday night’s robbery took place. When officers arrived at the scene around 8 p.m., they discovered the bodies of the owner of Lock Stock & Barrel Shooting Range, along with his wife and grandson.
Grantville Police confirmed that Thomas Hawk (75) and Evelyn (75), were the gun range owners. Luke (17 was their grandson) is also among the victims.
Steve Whitlock, Police Chief, stated that the Hawk family is well-respected and well-known within their close-knit community. The Hawks had operated Lock Stock & Barrel for nearly 30 years. The Hawks’ grandson, who was visiting from spring break, helped his grandparents in the shop.
“This is just a shock to everybody in the community,” Whitlock told The Associated Press. “We’re trying to do the best that we can to figure this out.”
Whitlock stated that investigators think the shooting and robbery occurred around 5:15 p.m. on Friday. This is the time ranges close. He said Hawk’s son, Richard, came by the business and was the person who found the victims.
As of Saturday’s early hours, there are no suspected suspects, and there have not been any arrests. Investigators said that as many as 40 guns and the range’s surveillance camera were also stolen.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation has begun an investigation, and when they were contacted on Saturday, referred all questions to Grantville Police. A large number of weapons were also taken into consideration, which led to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives being called. These agencies have been working together to determine the cause of the shooting, and find possible suspects.
Whitlock said he’s grateful for the help from other law enforcement agencies in the investigation.
“We’re just a small town, 12 officers. I’ve been here eight years and have never had to investigate anything like this. It’s been kind of hard on us. The crime rate is really, really low,” he said.
A reward of $15,000 has been posted for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer or killers in the case, according to the ATF Atlanta office’s Twitter feed.
“ATF and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring the killer(s) to justice,” ATF Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge Benjamin P. Gibbons said in a statement. “The brutality of these senseless murders along with the fact that these killer(s) have acquired additional firearms makes solving this case our top priority.”
Witnesses are asked to speak up by the police. Whitlock said they don’t have any video evidence to work with right now.
It is located in Coweta County about 50 miles (about 81 kilometers) southwest of Atlanta.
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