Background: Image from news coverage of the residence where Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Deputy Tamara Bartlett was fatally shot (WSB). Inset (left): Tamara Bartlett (Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office). Inset (right): Eric Sumner (Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office).
A woman from Georgia, who worked as a sheriff’s deputy in Gwinnett County, has been identified as the victim in a deadly shooting, allegedly carried out by her boyfriend.
Tamara Tuitt-Bartlett, a deputy with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, was off duty on Saturday when she was reportedly shot by her boyfriend, 43-year-old Eric Sumner. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office reports that deputies were dispatched following a 911 call from Bartlett’s neighbor. The neighbor reported that Bartlett’s teenage son was “at her front door and was bleeding.” While the neighbor tended to his gunshot wounds, the son mentioned that his mother was involved in a dispute with Sumner, who was “firing a gun.”
Upon arriving at Bartlett’s residence, police discovered her lifeless in the bedroom. She was pronounced dead on site. Sumner had escaped in his vehicle but was eventually captured by authorities in Monroe County and subsequently detained. He was later transferred to Forsyth County, where he remains in custody without bail.
The boy was transported to a hospital, where he is in stable condition, according to reporting from local ABC affiliate WSB.
Following notification of her family, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office shared a tribute to their fallen deputy on Facebook, stating, “Master Deputy Tuitt-Bartlett dedicated nearly 20 years to our community with steadfast dedication, compassion, and integrity, truly reflecting the core values of the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office. Her devotion to safeguarding and serving left a profound impact on all who had the privilege of knowing and working with her.”
According to court records, Bartlett filed for a protective order against Sumner in April. The case was eventually dismissed.
Sumner faces charges of murder involving a family member with a firearm and two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
