After killing his 34-year-old girlfriend and shooting her two sons early Easter Sunday in the new city of South Fulton, Timothy Wyatt drove to Florida, where he was shot and killed following a gun battle with authorities in Tampa, police said.
Tawanna Collins’ body was discovered about 7:30 a.m. in the 3500 block of Keels Lane, according to authorities. South Fulton police said two other people, including the victim’s sons, were shot. The sons, ages 12 and 14, remain in Grady Memorial Hospital, Channel 2 Action News reported. Details on their conditions, their identities and what led to the triple shooting have not been released.
Wyatt lived with Collins and her sons, Channel 2 reported. Collins, who is originally from College Park, recently moved to the neighborhood. Before the killing, Wyatt served an 8-year prison sentence for assault charges in Clayton County, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.
In 2009, Wyatt began a 15-year sentence for aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a peace officer, and possession of a firearm charges, according to the DoC. He was given parole in May 2017. Details on the arrest was not immediately available.
Authorities have not indicated why Wyatt fled to Tampa.
Police there said Wyatt led authorities on a chase in his 2017 white Chevrolet Impala at the intersection of East Hillsborough Avenue and North Nebraska Avenue and fired shots at a police officer.
As a helicopter trailed Wyatt, ground police backed off, Tampa police spokesman Steve Hegarty said in a news release.
Wyatt then stopped his car, got out, “immediately began firing upon officers” and tried to carjack a woman, Hegarty said. At that point, police shot Wyatt.
Tampa police officers and Florida Highway Patrol troopers performed CPR, but Wyatt died at the scene. Two handguns were found near his body.
“At this time, it is unclear what connection, if any, the deceased had to the Tamp Bay area,” Hegarty said.
Tampa police have no plans to release video of the officer-involved shooting. Four officers who shot Wyatt and the officer who Wyatt fired at were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure, Hegarty said.
No one else was injured in the gun battle.
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