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Georgia police officer and suspect dead after shooting during traffic stop

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Update 9:15 p.m. EST Dec. 13:The Georgia police officer who was shot by a suspect Thursday afternoon near in metro Atlanta's DeKalb County has died at Grady Memorial Hospital, DeKalb County police Chief James Conroy said at a news conference.

The suspect also died at Grady, Conroy said.

Conroy said the officer had been with the department for about a year and a half.

A police dog injured in the incident is undergoing treatment and is in critical condition.

The suspect, who had several gunshot wounds, was in his 20s to 30s, police said.

Original story: A DeKalb County police officer, a police dog and a suspect were shot Thursday and all are in critical condition, authorities confirmed.

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The incident briefly shut down Interstate 20 in both directions and later blocked a road just north of the freeway, DeKalb police spokesman J.D. Spencer said.

The officer and the suspect were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, Maj. Jerry Lewis Jr. said during a news conference. The police dog was taken to a local veterinarian.

GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said the GBI has been contacted to investigate the incident.

The incident began as a traffic stop, Lewis said. The suspect tried to drive away and the officer pursued. The suspect then shot the officer before shooting the police dog when responding officers arrived.

The responding officers then shot the suspect, Lewis said.

More than 70 patrol cars and at least one ambulance are on scene.

Since Sunday, the GBI has been called to investigate five officer-involved shootings. Those incidents include shootings in Chatham CountyTurner CountyGordon County and Bibb County.

The incident in DeKalb County in metro Atlanta is the 89th officer-involved shooting the GBI has been called to investigate this year, which surpasses the 88 such investigations opened last year, Miles said.