Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A gunfight at a Walton, Georgia home has claimed the lives of the two women and the officer
At least five people, including two women, have been killed in a shooting in a quiet suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.
It happened at a home in Walton, a few miles from the DeKalb County Courthouse.
Officials say Sgt Walter Littlefield, 49, and his female deputy were called to the house after a dispute erupted between a father and his adult son.
The shooter, James Edward Smith Jr, has been found dead, along with his father and two women.
A police statement said the deputy was in a work vehicle outside the property at the time of the incident and had to be rescued by fire crews.
The families of Sgt Littlefield and his deputy have been informed of the deaths.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption This is the Walton neighbourhood in which the fatal shootings took place
Mayor Gregory Travis told reporters: “I can’t even imagine what this mother and the family has been going through. I feel for them.”
Asked how police could think they could return to the scene at 5.30am, he said: “At this time we don’t know the details of what occurred and we need to just keep those families in mind.”
Local TV station WSB-TV quoted DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Captain Jack Williford as saying police found several handguns in the house and could determine that “three or four guns were actually fired”.
Images of the crime scene showed at least three vehicles parked on the street and near a blue SUV, reported to be a vehicle of interest.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The area was sealed off to allow forensics to investigate
Late on Tuesday night, DeKalb County police said they had discovered a handgun in the father’s bedroom that may have been used in the shooting.
President Donald Trump tweeted his condolences, saying he was “deeply saddened” by the death of Sgt Littlefield, a 25-year police veteran.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Sheriff’s officers escort the body of Sgt Littlefield at a local hospital
Sheriff’s spokesman Dave Neal described the shooting in Walton as “horrific”.
“I know the officer is safe but I cannot imagine the pain the family is going through right now,” he told local TV.
The arrests of two male suspects were imminent, the sheriff’s office said.
While the investigation was ongoing, the area was sealed off to allow police forensics officers to investigate the scene.
The DeKalb County courthouse is about half a mile away from the scene.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption “Horrific” was the word used by DeKalb County police at the scene of the shooting
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The DeKalb County courthouse is about half a mile away from the scene
With the assistance of the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the investigation.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption One neighbor who was worried about her safety was interviewed by local media on Tuesday evening
WSB-TV said law enforcement notified schools about the shooting. Students at a nearby school returned home later in the day as a precaution.
Police in the area are asking for witnesses to come forward.
The Walton Elementary School and Deermont High School are about half a mile from the scene. Officials told parents they could pick up their children on Tuesday afternoon.