Man accused of shooting two College Park officers in court

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. - The man accused of shooting two College Park police officers has his first court appearance on Friday. 

Kendarrious Chester was arrested Thursday morning after U.S. Marshals found him in an abandoned building off Metropolitan Parkway. 

The College Park officers were responding to a domestic dispute call Saturday afternoon when they were shot. 

Chester was identified by the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office as the man responsible. Authorities initially believed Chester had fled to an apartment off Riverdale Road, less than three miles away from the shooting scene. A SWAT team made entry into the building just before 7 p.m. Saturday, but found no one.

Chester’s initial encounter with the officers, according to police, happened at the Red Snapper located on Old National Highway and Old National Parkway in College Park Saturday afternoon. Officers were called there after a report of a domestic violence incident with his girlfriend. Investigators said Chester may have made off with his girlfriend's car in that incident. They caught up with him inside the restaurant.

"And then the perpetrator turned and fired on officers without provocation,” said Chief Keith Meadows, College Park Police Department. “The first officer was struck just underneath his vest. He sustained one gunshot wound to the abdomen. The second projectile was stopped by his bulletproof vest. The second officer was actually hit in his duty belt, had that and sustained damage to his radio.”

Both officers are expected to recover from their injuries.

The Clayton County Sheriff’s Office issued an alert shortly after the incident naming Chester as the gunman.