Georgia Cop Killer Suspect Found Dead

A gunman who allegedly killed one police officer and critically injured another in Georgia is dead after a 27-hour manhunt, officials said on Thursday, reports NBC News .

Americus Police Chief Mark Scott said Minquell Kennedy Lembrick, 32, was found dead with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a residence on Allen Street. Authorities surrounded the house after receiving a tip at 10:02 a.m. that Lembrick had holed himself up inside the home.

The manhunt for Lembrick had intensified Thursday morning with more than 200 law enforcement officers across multiple agencies joining the search.

Minquell escaped after the shooting near Georgia Southwestern State University on Wednesday morning, and was considered armed and dangerous, authorities said. Overnight, officials raised the award for Lembrick's arrest to $70,000.

Authorities said Lembrick fatally shot Americus police Officer Nicholas Ryan Smarr and wounded university police Officer Jody Smith at an apartment complex at about 9:40 a.m. ET on Wednesday near the campus in Americus, which is in Sumter County about halfway between Columbus and Albany.

Smarr, 25, was responding to a call for a domestic disturbance when he was shot, police said. Smith, who was providing backup, was flown by medical helicopter to a trauma center in Macon. As of Thursday morning, Smith was out of surgery but remained in critical condition.

Police said the two officers had been best friends since high school and went to the same police academy together.