Four dead in Lawrenceville shooting; suspect and victims identified

Deadly quadruple shooting in Gwinnett County

Four people were shot and killed in Lawrenceville, according to Gwinnett County Police. A suspect has been taken into custody. FOX 5 has the latest.

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Gwinnett County police are investigating a horrific domestic-related shooting that left four adults dead early Friday morning. Investigators say three children were inside the home during the incident but were able to hide and call for help.

Tragedy unfolds on Brook Ivy Court

What we know:

The Gwinnett County Police Department responded to a "shots fired" call at about 2:30 a.m. on Friday in the 1000 block of Brook Ivy Court. Upon arrival, officers discovered the bodies of four adults inside the residence, all of whom had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.

Police quickly confirmed the incident was domestic in nature. While the names of the victims have not yet been released, investigators noted that there had been prior calls for service at the household.

Children hide in closet to escape gunfire

Dig deeper:

In a chilling detail from the scene, officials revealed that three young children were present when the shooting began. To protect themselves, the children retreated to a closet to hide.

One of the children managed to call 911, providing critical information that allowed officers to reach the scene within minutes, investigators said. The children were unharmed and have since been picked up by a family member.

K-9 Units track Suspect to woodline

According to investigators, because of the rapid response prompted by the 911 call, officers arrived while the suspect's vehicle was still in the driveway. Believing the shooter was still nearby, K-9 officers were dispatched to search the surrounding area.

The police dog successfully tracked the suspect to a nearby woodline, where he was apprehended. Authorities stated the man was taken into custody without further incident.

Suspect and victim details

What we know:

The suspect has been identified as Vijay Kumar, 51, of Atlanta. He has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault, four counts of felony murder, four counts of malice murder, one count of cruelty to children in the 1st degree, and two counts of cruelty to children in the 3rd degree.

Vijay Kumar (Gwinnett County Police Department)

The victims, according to Gwinnett County police, are Kumar’s wife, Meemu Dogra, 43, of Atlanta, Gourav Cumar, 33, Nidhi Chander, 37, and Harish Chander, 38, all of Lawrenceville.

What investigators have learned

The backstory:

According to investigators, an argument began between Dogra and Kumar at their home in Atlanta, and they traveled to the residence on Brook Ivy Court with their 12-year-old child. Gourav Cumar, Nidhi Chander, and Harish Chander, who are relatives of Dogra and Kumar, resided at the Brook Ivy Court home, along with two juveniles who are seven and ten years old. After the incident occurred, the 12-year-old child was the one who called 911.

What we don't know:

It is unknown at this time what the argument was about, why they came to the residence, or what led up to the incident.