Authorities surround Americus house where GBI believes shooter is barricaded

AMERICUS, Ga. — UPDATE: The second officer injured in Wednesday's shooting has died.

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UPDATE: Minguell Lembrick was found dead in an Americus home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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A massive manhunt for the shooter accused of killing a south Georgia police officer and leaving another in very critical condition is continuing into a second day.

Authorities have surrounded a home in Americus Thursday where the GBI believes the suspect is barricaded.

The shooting happened Wednesday morning in Americus at an apartment complex near the Georgia Southwestern University campus.

Channel 2’s Richard Elliot traveled to the shooting scene where said at least 20 different law enforcement agencies were coordinating on the search for the gunman -- Minguell Lembrick.

Investigators said Officer Nicholas Smarr of the Americus Police Department and Georgia Southwestern Police Officer Jody Smith were responding to a domestic disturbance call when they said Lembrick shot the men.

Smarr died shortly afterwards. Smith was airlifted to a Macon hospital.

“We've got dozens of officers out from at least 20 agencies that are represented here, and they're doing searches, road checks and a very aggressive approach,” Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan told Elliot.

“It's a tragedy beyond words. It's one of our family members has been taken from us,” Americus Police Chief Mark Scott told Elliot.

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Elliot said Scott had a hard time containing his emotions as he talked about the crime and the search for Lembrick.

Officers said Lembrick is to be considered armed and very dangerous.

Lembrick was already wanted on kidnapping charges, but officers didn't know he would be at the domestic disturbance call.

It's a tremendous loss to our family. It's been many years since we've had an officer fall in the line of duty here in Americus,” Scott said.

Willie Raybon lives around the corner from where the shootings happened. He told Elliot he can't believe this happened in his community.

“I mean, this is a small community. You know, Atlanta, yeah, we hear about this. All over the United States, we hear about this. But here? No,” Raybon said.

The shooting scene is a short distance away from Georgia Southwestern University. The university was put on lockdown while investigators searched for Lembrick.

Keenan made a plea for Lembrick to turn himself in and end the situation peacefully.

That campus is still on lockdown as law enforcement searches for the gunman.

“We want this to end peacefully if it's at all possible and that can be done if Mr. Lembrick will turn himself in,” Keenan told Elliot.

Police are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Lembrick's arrest.

Anyone with information should call 911 or CrimeStoppers are 229-924-4102.

Cox Media Group