Mother, Daughter Deaths May Be 'Suicide By Cop' Case

DULUTH, Ga. -- A Duluth mother and her daughter were both shot and killed by Gwinnett County police after the mother called 911 to report that her daughter was suicidal.

Police are investigating if the daughter was trying to commit suicide by using the police officer who responded to the home.

Police identify the victims as 75-year old Barbara A. Baker and her daughter, 51-year old Penny J. Schwartz.

Baker died at the scene Tuesday night, while Schwartz passed away at a hospital early this morning.

Police said an officer responded to a home on Tracey Drive near Buford Highway shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday and went inside to talk to the mother.

"The mother told the officer that her daughter wanted the police to shoot her," said Corporal Illana Spellman.

"Suicide by Cop" is a method of suicide in which an individual acts in a threatening way to provoke a lethal response by a police officer.

Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Matthew Norman says it may be an easier way for an individual to commit suicide. "Shooting oneself with a firearm is the number one way that people commit suicide," Dr. Norman said. "If you're going to commit suicide by firearm, it may be easier to have someone else shoot you with a firearm than actually shoot yourself."

Dr. Norman says one study of "Suicide by Cop" found that 11-percent of police shootings of individuals were attributed to the method.

In the Duluth incident police said the daughter came downstairs with a gun and pointed it at the officer.

"At that point, the officer opened fire," Corporal Spellman said. "The mother was shot, as well as the daughter."

Police said they're investigating how the mother was shot. A special "shoot team" and crime scene investigators spent the night at the home to try to piece together what happened.

In a telephone interview with 11 Alive News, Penny Schwartz's brother questioned why the police officer killed his sister and his mother. "I don't know who's right, who's wrong," Michael Schwartz said.

"We don't know if it was a wayward bullet or if mom stepped into the line of fire," Corporal Spellman said.

The evidence on scene raised even more questions. According to a police report, unknown drugs were found in the home.

Michael Schwartz said his sister lived with their mother in the Duluth home. He says his mother took care of Penny Schwartz who was legally disabled from Crohn's Disease.

"How did my mother get shot?" he said. "Was she in the way? Were they firing recklessly? What happened."

The officer involved is on paid administrative leave, which is routine in any shooting by police.