Mother, son found dead after standoff in East Cobb identified

2 dead after Cobb SWAT strandoff on Vandiver Drive

Two people are dead following a Cobb County SWAT standoff on Vandiver Drive on Sunday. The GBI is investigating. 

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A welfare check in Cobb County escalated into a deadly standoff that left a mother and her son dead, according to police.

What we know:

Officers were called to a home on Vandiver Drive around 8:30 a.m. on May 3 after family members reported concerns about not hearing from a resident.

The caller said a male resident was experiencing a mental health crisis. 

When officers arrived, they reportedly attempted to make contact but received no response. Police said they saw a man inside the home who would not come to the door.

As officers worked to obtain a search warrant, a gunshot was heard from inside the residence.

The Cobb County Police SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Team were called to the scene, and a drone was used to assess the situation inside the home.

The drone reportedly showed a woman inside who was unresponsive and injured. 

Welfare check led to Cobb murder-suicide

A welfare check in Cobb County escalated into a deadly standoff that left a mother and her son dead, according to police. It all started with a resident reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis. 

SWAT officers entered the home and found 71-year-old Lorrie Peake, who investigators say was the victim of a homicide. 

The officers heard another gunshot from inside the home and exited. They then deployed gas inside and continued calling for the man, identified as 29-year-old William F. Peake, to exit. 

Investigators said Peake fired again, hitting two law enforcement vehicles.

Afterward, Peake appeared in front of a window with a gun and a police sniper shot at him. 

"A bomb robot equipped with a camera was deployed to the window, where it showed Peake trying to stand, still holding the gun," authorities said. 

Police said communication efforts continued until the suspect took his own life.

Both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene.

What they're saying:

Officer Aaron Wilson explained that the department made every effort to resolve the situation peacefully before it ended in tragedy.

"Our crisis negotiations team, which is our negotiators, they again attempted to make contact with them several different ways, multiple different times," Wilson said. "The SWAT team was on scene. You heard through their loudspeaker. Numerous, numerous times, they had tried to establish communication, and he refused every attempt that was made."

"I've seen that kind of situation once before, so when they started on the bullhorn, I sort of knew what was going on. They're just trying to get somebody to come out of the house," a man who lives in the area told FOX 5. 

"People are coming out because we just don't have this type of activity and are just curious about what is going on," another resident said. 

What's next:

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident. This is standard protocol whenever an officer fires their weapon during a call.

The Cobb County Police Major Crimes Unit will be conducting a separate death investigation. 

The Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office will autopsy both of the deceased.