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Suspect caught in slaying of smalltown Georgia police officer

ATLANTA -- The suspect in the fatal shooting of a police officer in a small, central Georgia city Saturday has been arrested, CBS News confirms.

The Dodge County Sherriff's Office said Royheem Delshawn Deeds is in custody.

CBS Macon, Georgia affiliate WMAZ-TV cites the Georgia Buraeu of Investigation in reporting Deeds was arrested in Nassau County, Florida early Sunday morning. No details on how it happened were immediately available.

Eastman Patrol Officer Tim Smith was fatally shot about 9:30 p.m. Saturday in a residential area of the city, which is about 60 miles southeast of Macon, GBI spokesperson Scott Dutton said.

Smith, 31, was responding to a suspicious person call when he encountered Deeds, exited his patrol car and was shot, Dutton said.

Eastman, Georgia, Police Officer Tim Smith in undated photo
Eastman, Georgia, Police Officer Tim Smith in undated photo Georgia Bureau of Investigations

Dutton said Deeds, 24, then fled the scene.

The GBI said in a news release Sunday that it is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Deeds' whereabouts.

Smith was not wearing a body camera.

Smith had been with the Eastman Police Department since 2011. He is survived by three children.

Smith's death came just hours before two 15-year-old suspects were arrested after exchanging gunfire with officers in the suburban Atlanta city of Marietta.

Officer Scott Davis was shot in the leg early Sunday, Marietta police spokeswoman Kelah Wallace said. Davis, a 10-year veteran, was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and is recovering after surgery.

The shooting occurred outside the Gallery Apartments when three officers responded to a call about people breaking into cars, Wallace said.

The officers approached two suspects who were inside a vehicle, Wallace said. One of the suspects from the vehicle started shooting at the officers, striking one of them.

Three officers returned fire, hitting one of the suspects. Both suspects were eventually arrested, Wallace said. The wounded suspect was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Davis and the two other officers will be placed on administrative leave as per policy standards.

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