Crime & Safety
Update: Canton Woman Dies After Milton Shooting
The suspect, also from Canton, shot the mother of his children, Milton authorities said.
Original breaking news alert: 7:56 p.m. Sunday
A 25-year-old woman, possibly from Canton, is dead after a shooting near Birmingham Crossroads in Milton this afternoon.
Milton police responded to a call at 2:02 p.m. of shots being fired at 15780 Birmingham Highway, according to Milton Police Capt. Shawn McCarty. When they arrived, they found shell casings in the parking lot along with a pool of blood.
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McCarty said that police were later notified that the suspect and the victim were at in Cumming. By the time police arrived at the hospital, the victim, Shannon Lawrence, was dead from the gunshot wound.
Christopher Erdman, also 25, has been arrested in the shooting death.
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WGCL-TV reported this evening that Lawrence is from Canton, but Milton authorities have not confirmed that.
Stay tuned to canton-ga.patch.com and alpharetta.patch.com for updates on this breaking news story.
UPDATE: 8:01 p.m. Sunday
Suspect in custody in fatal shooting
25-year-old Christopher Erdman arrested at Northside Forsyth Hospital
MILTON, GA., June 5, 2011 - A 25-year-old Canton man is in custody after the shooting death of the mother of his two children at the Birmingham Crossroads in Milton.
According to Capt. Shawn McCarty, Christopher Erdman allegedly shot 25-year-old Shannon Lawrence, also of Canton, four times in the face and neck in the parking lot of a mostly empty shopping center at 15780 Birmingham Highway.
McCarty said the couple had two children together but never married. They used the shopping center as the drop-off point when exchanging custody of the children.
McCarty said it was unclear whether the children were at the scene during the shooting.
Dispatchers received a call of shots fired at 2:02 p.m. and officers found shell casings and a pool of blood in the parking lot, said McCarty. After the shooting, Erdman reportedly drove Lawrence to Northside Forsyth Hospital.
Staff alerted Milton police that Erdman and Lawrence were at the hospital, and by the time officers arrived, Lawrence was pronounced dead form the gunshot wounds. Erdman was arrested and will go to Fulton County Jail.
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