Police officer shot dead in Atlanta suburbs while serving warrant

By Rich McKay

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A police officer was shot and killed at an apartment complex in suburban Atlanta on Thursday morning while trying to serve a warrant on a drug suspect, Clayton County police officials said.

Riverdale Police identified the officer as Major Greg "Lem" Barney, a longtime member of the department. He had been working with officers from Clayton County when he was shot as he and others tried to make an arrest in Riverdale, about 12 miles south of Atlanta, police said.

The suspect ran out of an apartment's back door when officers arrived at the front, according to a report from WSB-TV in Atlanta. Other officers were waiting out back, which is where the Riverdale officer was shot, the news station reported.

The suspect then ran through the complex where he was shot and wounded by Clayton police, officials said.

Both the suspect and the officer were taken to separate, area hospitals. Barney died in surgery, officials said.

The name and condition of the suspect was not immediately available.

(Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Sandra Maler)