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Newnan officer likely saved dozens of lives when he evacuated children from ball field before shooting

Law enforcement officers were chasing an armed suspect when the Newnan officer, Patrol Corporal Ken Hobbs, evacuated children from a ball field.

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — There is high praise for a Newnan police officer from the Coweta County Sheriff because one of his recent actions likely saved dozens of lives.

The two departments were chasing an armed suspect when the Newnan officer,  Patrol Corporal Ken Hobbs, evacuated children from a ball field at the Whitlock Recreation Complex on International Park.

About 15 minutes later, both the suspect and deputies exchanged gunfire in the parking lot. But, Hobbs' quick thinking before that happened is being praised.

He didn't think the families at the ball field were in immediate danger,  but he said he knew he had to get them to safety.

"Will you tell the coaches to pull all the girls in and get them somewhere together and get them off the field please," you can hear him say in the body camera video from Sunday. 

He's calm and reassuring as he talks to the families, but he knew the situation could get serious, fast.

"I knew that the subject was dangerous. We got some background on him that he had used firearms before," he said in an interview with 11Alive. 

RELATED: Suspect injured in shootout with deputy outside Newnan area sports complex

Authorities said Coweta County deputies and Newnan Police were trying to arrest an armed suspect who had run in to the woods. Hobbs was driving to his next position when he saw the kids playing.

"The good news is they're pushing him that way, but I'm not sure if he'll double back," he said in the body camera video.

In fact, he did double back. 

A police K-9 caught a scent right outside the park.

"The suspect flees out of the woods and takes a shot at the deputy, and the deputy returns fire, striking the suspect, in that same ball field," he said. 

Hobbs said he wasn't thinking about what he had done, evacuating those families, in the aftermath of the shooting.

"Seeing that the subject was down, saw officers giving him assistance, caring for his injury. I was worried about the officers, I didn't know if an officer had been hit. I was counting the people out there, making sure they were all alright. I was concerned for the suspect on the ground," he said. 

It wasn't until the sheriff called his actions heroic that he thought about it at all.

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal. It was God looking out for those kids, He just used me as the messenger," he said.

No law enforcement officers were injured in the shooting. The suspect was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

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