GRANTVILLE, Ga. — Three people were shot to death Friday inside Lock Stock and Barrel Shooting Range in Grantville.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the GBI and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, converged on the business when the son of the shooting range's owners discovered their bodies Friday evening and called 911, according to Grantville Police Chief Steve Whitlock.
Whitlock identified the three people killed as the owners, Tommy Hawk and his wife, Evelyn Hawk, and their 19-year-old grandson, Luke Hawk. Whitlock said Luke was home from college on spring break helping his grandparents with their business. Luke's father Richard Hawk, who also works as the Coweta County coroner, is the one who found their bodies, the chief said.
"The assistance chief, he called me and said that we had -- his exact words -- we've had a tragedy in Grantville," Whitlock said. "It floored me."
The Grantville Police Department early Saturday morning described the incident as a robbery.
"Sadly it was found that the owner, his wife and their grandson had been murdered. Approximately 40 weapons and the camera DVR were taken from the scene," the department said on Facebook.
On Saturday, law enforcement vehicles were still blocking the roadway leading to the business as an investigator collected evidence.
Whitlock said he considers the Hawks dear friends, calling their deaths a tragedy for the whole town.
"It's really hard," he said. "The store's been here for a long time. The range (has) been here for a long time and there's people from all around (that) come shoot here," he said.
The business stocks inventories of guns and ammunition for sale, according to the business’ website.
The department is asking anyone who drove by the range between 5:30-6:30 p.m. and noticed any car - other than a white Ford truck and black Ford Expedition - are asked to contact Grantville Police.
Whitlock said Tommy and Evelyn usually close up shop every afternoon by about 5:30, and return home by 6:00.
When they did not get home Friday evening, their son - Luke’s father - Richard Hawk, drove to the shooting range, and Whitlock said Richard discovered their bodies inside the business, each one on the floor a few steps away from the others.
According to Whitlock, investigators obtained search warrants at around midnight and began to process the crime scene indoors. And investigators were not saying, yet, if they know what time of day the three were shot.
Whitlock said Tommy and Evelyn Hawk had no employees and usually worked by themselves. He said Tommy had had a stroke and as part of his recovery he was returning gradually to a full-time work schedule.
The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office was telling callers asking about the shootings to call the GBI, and as of early Saturday morning the GBI had not released any information.
The ATF said a $15,000 reward is on offer from that agency, the city of Grantville and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
"ATF and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring the killer(s) to justice," ATF Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge Benjamin P. Gibbons said. "The brutality of these senseless murders along with the fact that these killer(s) have acquired additional firearms makes solving this case our top priority."
The GBI also tweeted that law enforcement are still seeking tips in the case.