CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. — A police officer from the northwest Georgia city of Chickamauga has died several days after he was shot and critically injured in a murder-suicide that killed three other people.
Officer Charles “Chuck” Dunn died on Thursday night, Chickamauga city officials posted online just before midnight.
“Even in his passing, his selflessness continues, saving lives just as he always did in uniform,” city leaders wrote on social media, saying his family would be donating his organs.
He was off duty and not in uniform at the time of the shooting.
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The shooting took place at a Rock Springs home on Woodstation Road, according to the news release. The investigation showed Russell David Payne, 54, of Marietta, drove to the home and fired multiple rounds into the back of the residence.
Jacklyn D. Payne, who was separated from Russell Payne, died in the shooting, as well as her father, Eugene “Jack” Denny, who she had been staying with. The sheriff’s office said Russell Payne died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A fourth person was injured in the shooting. Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson confirmed to WTVC-TV in Chattanooga that Dunn was the fourth victim.
They say he was a longtime family friend and was at the home at the time of the shooting.
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Chuck was more than an officer. He was a friend, a protector, and a light in the lives of so many. His sense of humor could brighten the darkest days, his kindness knew no limits, and his love for people and animals alike made the world a better place.
There are no words to truly capture the loss we feel, but there is comfort in knowing that his impact will never fade. His laughter, his heart, and his unwavering dedication to others will live on in the lives he touched and the ones he now saves.
Rest easy, Chuck. Your watch may be over, but your legacy will never be forgotten.
— City of Chickamauga
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