An off-duty Gwinnett County sheriff's deputy was shot and killed Thursday morning in Dacula.
The incident occurred about 1:30 a.m. during a domestic dispute at a house on Austin Ridge Drive, said Gwinnett police spokesman Cpl. David Schiralli.
Schiralli identified the deputy as 38-year-old Donald Bassett, a 17-year veteran of the department.
"Investigators believe that just before he was shot, he had been involved in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, who also lived at the location," Schiralli said.
The two struggled over a handgun, and the weapon discharged, striking Bassett, who later died at Gwinnett Medical Center.
Investigators were still interviewing the woman and had not filed any charges late Thursday afternoon, Schiralli said.
Police have not released the woman's name, but family members at the scene identified her as 20-year-old Morgan Schrader.
Schrader's brother, Adam, said his sister and Bassett got engaged on New Year's Eve and planned to marry next April.
"They just went canoeing Sunday, and we were baby-sitting the dog, and they came back and were all happy," Adam Schrader said.
He said his sister is a Georgia State University student who has worked part time at the Sheriff's Department.
"Our thoughts are with the family and his children," said department spokeswoman Stacey Bourbonnais. She said Bassett was a divorced father of four.
The shooting happened in a two-story house in a neighborhood of well-kept homes and manicured lawns off Fence Road near Ga. 316.
Josue Morales lives across the street from the couple.
"They looked real happy together," he said. "Wednesday, they were hugging and kissing in the front yard."
Staff writer Alexis Stevens contributed to this article.
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