Family members in DeKalb County say they are pleading for prayers and answers after a mother was found critically wounded in an apparent murder-suicide at her home Tuesday. Police say the woman was shot multiple times and remains in the hospital fighting for her life while her partner died at the scene.
In a report posted Tuesday, FOX 5 Atlanta said DeKalb County police told investigators the partner shot the woman inside the residence and then took his own life. Relatives who spoke to the station described rushing to the house and finding her gravely wounded, a scene they say they are still struggling to process.
Family speaks out
Relatives say they have been at the woman's bedside and have asked for privacy as she recovers. They say they are trying to piece together what led to the shooting and urged neighbors to come forward if they saw anything suspicious or heard anything that might help detectives.
Statewide trends
The Georgia Commission on Family Violence's 2025 fact sheet shows family-violence incidents rose statewide in 2024 and flagged a sharp rise in murder-suicides linked to domestic violence. According to the commission, there were 42,184 reported incidents of family violence in 2024, a 12% increase from 2023, and domestic violence-related murder-suicide incidents rose by more than 80%. The sheet also lists the statewide hotline number at 1-800-33-HAVEN for people who need help. Georgia Commission on Family Violence
What the data shows nationally
National research finds intimate partners account for a large share of homicides and that homicide-suicides often involve intimate partner violence, highlighting how quickly domestic incidents can turn deadly. A recent review of U.S. violent-death data notes that nearly half of female homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner and calls for improved surveillance to better prevent these tragedies. PubMed Central
Police investigation and next steps
DeKalb County police are investigating the incident and have not released the victims' names while the inquiry continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact the DeKalb County Police Department or call 911 in an emergency. Community members who need support can also contact the Georgia family-violence hotline listed above.
