Family Of Slain GA Officer Remembers 'Gentle Spirit': Reports

Updated 1:09 p.m.

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA — The loved ones of a Gwinnett County police officer who was fatally shot while responding to a fraud call at a hotel Sunday says he was a "gentle spirit," according to media reports.

Police Officer Senior Pradeep Tamang, a 25-year-old who joined the Gwinnett County Police Department in July 2024, was killed during a shooting that police said injured Master Police Officer David M. Reed.

The two officers were investigating a fraudulently-used credit card at an East Park Place Boulevard hotel when police said 35-year-old Kevin Andrews opened fire on them. They shot back, injuring Andrews, authorities said.

Pradeep Tamang was pronounced dead at a hospital, while Reed was in critical but stable condition, police said.

RELATED: Gwinnett Officer Killed In Line Of Duty Shooting; 2nd Injured

“It’s sad to see that, know that he’s gone,” Pragyan Tamang told WANF-TV of his older brother. “I believe that this incident was the most devastating part of my life, and it will be for the rest of my life.”

The Tamangs relocated from Nepal to the U.S. a decade ago, family members told WANF-TV and WSB-TV. Pragyan Tamang reportedly said his brother always wanted to be an officer and a politician, and enjoyed working in law enforcement.

“He was the person I could depend on the most in my life," Pragyan Tamang told WANF-TV. "He was someone that I could share my troubles with if I had any sort of issues with school, with life, or anything. I just look up to him a lot. Since young, I’ve always liked what he liked. I’ve always done what he wanted to do, as well.”

Pradeep Tamang, who was engaged at the time of his death, provided security at First Baptist Church Buford.

"We are so grateful for the officers who spend their time with us on Sundays and are broken hearted by this loss," the church wrote in a Facebook post published Monday.

Lead Pastor Stephen Fountain told WSB-TV that Pradeep Tamang "was one who just had a smile, kind of a gentle spirit."

Andrews suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting, police said. They added he was to be taken to jail after being released from the hospital.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Andrews is facing charges of malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault upon a public safety officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felony.

Additionally, there are three open cases against him in DeKalb County, WSB-TV reported. One of them includes a charge relating to trafficking at least 400 grams of methamphetamine, the news outlet reported.

Before the shooting, Reed and Pradeep Tamang attempted to arrest Andrews after learning there was an active warrant against him in DeKalb, authorities said.

Gwinnett County Jail records on Tuesday showed Andrews was booked into the jail on Monday.

Gwinnett County Police will hold a public service for Pradeep Tamang at 10 a.m. Saturday at 12Stone Church, 1322 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville, authorities said Tuesday.

The church parking lot will open at 8 a.m., and overflow parking will be available at GateCity Church, 1446 Calvin Davis Circle.

A procession to Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 300 Simonton Road in Lawrenceville, will follow the service. It will include law-enforcement personnel, police said.

The public is encouraged to line up along the procession route, police said.

Here is the procession route:

• Start at 12Stone Church.
• Turn right out of 12Stone onto State Route 20.
• Continue on SR-20 to Scenic Hwy (SR‑124) and turn right.
• Turn left onto Grayson Hwy (SR‑20).
• Follow SR‑20 to Simonton Road.
• Turn left onto Simonton Road.
• Turn right into the parking lot.