Man held after Indian American wife killed, son shot in US

An Indian American woman was shot dead and her son injured in an alleged domestic violence incident in Georgia's Cobb County. Police arrested her husband, who faces felony murder and other charges. Authorities continue investigating the motive behind the fatal shooting

Washington: A 56-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly shooting dead his Indian American wife and injuring their son during a domestic violence incident at their home in the US state of Georgia, police said on Saturday.

Kirk B Wrzesien was taken into custody at the site in Cobb County, near Atlanta, on Tuesday night. He is being held without bond at the Cobb County Adult Detention Centre, local media reports said. His wife, 57-year-old Shital Wrzesien, was found with gunshot wounds inside the family home on Laurel Creek Trail in Smyrna. She died from her injuries.

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Their 23-year-old son, Jason Wrzesien, was found outside the house with a gunshot wound. Emergency crews took him to a local hospital for treatment.

Police officers reached the home shortly before 8 pm after receiving reports that a person had been shot.

Investigators identified Kirk Wrzesien as Shital’s husband and Jason’s father. Kirk faces one count of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to local news reports citing the Cobb County Police Department.

Police described the shooting as a domestic violence incident. They said there was no continuing danger to the public. Authorities have not disclosed what led to the shooting. They have also not released fresh information about Jason’s medical condition.

Police tape blocked Laurel Creek Trail for several hours as investigators worked at the site. The violence stunned residents of the neighbourhood, where some families have lived for decades.

“I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t know if someone had a heart attack or what had happened,” Joanne Anderson, a resident of the street for more than 20 years, told Atlanta News First. “We love our neighborhood,” Anderson said. “I’m surprised. It breaks my heart.” Another neighbour, Peter Lee, said he learnt about the shooting through a text message from a resident. “I’ve seen him doing yardwork. Really nice guy. Very social neighbor,” Lee said of the suspect. “It’s a terrible tragedy. It’s too close to home.”

The investigation remains active. Police have not announced any additional arrests or identified a possible motive. Felony murder charges in Georgia can be brought when a death occurs during the commission of another felony, even when prosecutors do not allege that the killing was planned in advance.

Smyrna is a suburban city in Cobb County, northwest of Atlanta. The county is part of the wider Atlanta metropolitan region and has a population of more than 750,000.