Deputy Injured, Suspect Killed During Welfare Check in Acworth

Cherokee County, GA – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Cherokee County at the request of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. One man was shot and killed, and a deputy was injured during the incident. The deputy was treated and released from the hospital.

Preliminary information indicates that around 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, 2025, deputies responded to a welfare check at a home on Whisperwood Trail in Acworth. When deputies arrived, they made contact with 26-year-old Andre Alvear at the front door. After a brief conversation, Alvear closed the door, then reopened it and lunged at a deputy with a knife, striking him in the face.

As the deputy attempted to retreat, Alvear continued to chase him with the weapon. Both deputies discharged their firearms, striking and killing Alvear. Inside the home, deputies later discovered the body of a woman located upstairs.

Autopsies for both Alvear and the woman will be conducted at the GBI Crime Lab. The agent in charge of this case is Dustin Hamby, Dustin.hamby@gbi.ga.gov.

The GBI is conducting an independent investigation, and once complete, the findings will be turned over to the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.