Five dead after shooting outside Atlanta

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. (AP) – Police say they have identified the gunman who took his own life after killing four people and injuring two in a quiet neighborhood near Atlanta.

Cedric G. Prather, 33, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after shooting his ex-wife, another adult and two children Saturday afternoon in Douglasville, about 20 miles west of Atlanta, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday. A hometown for Prather was not given.

The sheriff’s office also identified the adults killed as Latoya A. Andrews, Prather’s ex-wife; and Joseph Terry Brown. Both were 33 years old. A 7-year-old child died at the scene, and a 9-year-old was taken to a hospital but also died, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Two other children, an 8-year-old and a 15-year-old, were in critical but stable condition at a hospital, the statement said.

Authorities haven’t identified any of the children who were shot.

Horrified neighbors called 911 and then tried to help the severely injured victims as best they could before rescuers arrived.

A news conference is planned for Monday in Douglasville, where authorities plan to share more details of how the shooting transpired. Officials hoped to share something about the motive during the news conference, Lt. Glenn Daniel told The Associated Press. Daniel said he didn’t have any information about the gun used in the crime.

Teresa Carter, 59, said she heard the gunfire from inside her home but didn’t see what happened. Carter said she often saw the children playing in the driveway and around the neighborhood. They enjoyed petting her dog.

“I heard shots, and I heard the girl scream,” Carter said. “And then I heard four more shots.”

Brandon Hallman was working on a car a few houses down when the shooting started.

“I heard a couple quick shots, you know, back to back to back. Went out there and, you know, looked and it was already over,” Hallman said. “We just grabbed some towels and kind of went down there to try and help before the paramedics got here.”

Another neighbor, Angela Ansah, struggled to explain to her own children what happened to their slain friends a few houses down. Ansah said some of the children targeted Saturday often came over to her house to play with her own children.

“These are children I see every day, every blessed day,” Ansah said.