FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County Sheriff’s deputy, Master Deputy Tamara Tuitt-Bartlett, was killed in an off-duty shooting at her home near Suwanee over the weekend.
Her boyfriend, Eric Sumner, 43 is accused of shooting her and injuring her teenage son.
Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson was live in Forsyth County for Channel 2 Action News at 6:00.
This family has dealt with tragedy before.
It’s not far from here where Tuitt-Barlett was desperately trying to find the person who killed her son four years ago in a hit-and-run crash.
Now her family is left mourning her, too.
“We would not be able to see her again. That is heartbreaking,” said Sahreen Bhanji, a neighbor.
After the shooting, her son pounded on a neighbor’s door and got help until deputies showed up at around 8, deputies say.
Forsyth deputies arrived to Bartlett’s home and found her dead in an upstairs bedroom. Her son was taken to the hospital and is now stable.
After Saturday’s murder, Monroe County deputies caught Sumner on I-75 after a brief chase.
This family already dealt with devastating loss. Four years ago a hit-and-run driver killed Tuitt-Bartlett’s other son 23-year-old Richard Bartlett III on McGinnis Ferry Road not far from home while he was securing a mattress to his car.
Johns Creek police say the driver saw what happened and drove off in a dark four-door sedan.
No one ever faced charges for that, leaving neighbors to reflect on all this mother endured before losing her life.
“She was a wonderful woman. She never ever bothered anybody,” Bhanji said.
Related to the hit-and-run, Johns Creek police are still looking for whoever killed her son, and a reward is being offered.
The suspect in the murder of Tuitt-Bartlett remains in the Forsyth County Jail without bond facing murder charges and others related to the shooting. Sumner’s next court date is scheduled for Tuesday.
Tuitt-Bartlett served with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office for nearly 20 years.
“Her commitment to protecting and serving made a lasting impact on all who had the honor of knowing and working alongside her. Her loss is deeply felt throughout our agency and the entire community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time,” the sheriff’s office said.
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