Indian-origin man charged with killing wife, three relatives in US

A 51-year-old man of Indian origin, Vijay Kumar, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder after allegedly shooting dead his wife and three of her relatives in a domestic dispute at a home in Lawrenceville early on Friday, January 23.

Gwinnett County police identified the victims as Meemu Dogra, 43, of Atlanta, Kumar’s wife; Gourav Cumar, 33, of Lawrenceville; Nidhi Chander, 37, of Lawrenceville; and Harish Chander, 38, of Lawrenceville. The three Lawrenceville residents were relatives of Dogra and Kumar and lived at the Brook Ivy Court home where the shooting took place.

According to police accounts reported by local media, the incident followed an argument between Kumar and Dogra at their Atlanta residence. The couple then drove to the relatives’ home in Gwinnett County along with their 12-year-old child. The exact cause of the dispute and the reason for travelling to the Lawrenceville address remain unclear.

Police responded to a shots-fired call at around 2.30 am and found the four adults dead inside the house, each with fatal gunshot wounds. Three children, Kumar and Dogra’s 12-year-old and two other children aged seven and 10 who lived at the residence, were found unharmed after hiding in a closet during the shooting. Police said the 12-year-old called 911 and provided key information that helped officers respond quickly.

Kumar’s vehicle was found parked in the driveway when officers arrived, leading to a search of the surrounding area. With the help of K-9 units, police located and arrested Kumar while he was hiding in a nearby wooded area. He was taken into custody without incident.

“It’s definitely a tragic situation,” Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Angela Carter told Atlanta News First. “Four people dying at the same time, especially with children in the home, is very, very tragic.”

According to charging documents, Kumar faces four counts each of malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault, along with one count of first-degree cruelty to children and two counts of third-degree cruelty to children.

Police have classified the shooting as domestic in nature and confirmed there had been prior calls for service at the address, though no further details on the motive have been released.

The children have since been released into the care of a family member. The investigation by the Gwinnett County Police Department is ongoing.