Lawrenceville woke up to heartbreak after a quiet neighborhood became the scene of a brutal overnight shooting that wiped out four adults from the same extended family. Police say the violence unfolded behind closed doors, leaving children traumatized and a community stunned.
Gwinnett County officers rushed to a home on Brook Ivy Court around 2:30 a.m. after reports of gunfire. Inside the residence, officers found four adults dead. Each had suffered gunshot wounds. The house, once filled with family life, had turned silent.
The victims were identified as Meemu Dogra, 43, of Atlanta; Gourav Cumar, 33; Nidhi Chander, 37; and Harish Chander, 38, all residents of Lawrenceville. Investigators confirmed the victims were related, deepening the sense of loss surrounding the case.
Police believe the violence began hours earlier with an argument between Dogra and her husband, Vijay Kumar, 51, at their home in Atlanta. Authorities say the couple later traveled with their 12-year-old child to the Lawrenceville house where the other victims lived with two young children.
What happened next was devastating. After the shooting, three children, ages 7, 10, and 12, were found hiding together in a closet. They were not physically injured, but officers described the scene as deeply disturbing. Police confirmed the 12-year-old had the presence of mind to call 911 after the gunfire stopped.
Kumar was found a short distance from the home and arrested without resistance. He now faces a long list of serious charges, including four counts of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, multiple counts of aggravated assault, and several charges related to cruelty to children.
As investigators continue piecing together the final moments of the victims’ lives, the focus has shifted to the children left behind. Neighbors and community members in Lawrenceville say the loss feels personal, even for those who never met the family.
This tragedy has left scars that will not fade quickly. Four lives are gone. Three children are forever changed. And a community is left asking how something so painful could happen in a place once defined by quiet nights and familiar faces.
