Pinetree Country Club where three men were found shot dead at the 10th hole.
Police in Georgia are searching for an unidentified man who drove a pickup truck carrying two dead bodies onto the 10th hole of a country club and fatally shot a well-known local golf pro in the head, several news outlets reported Sunday.
The golf pro, Eugene Siller, 41, was reportedly found dead with a gunshot wound to the head on Saturday after he went to investigate why the pickup truck had been driven onto the Atlanta-area golf course where he was employed. One of the bodies found in the truck was later identified as Paul Pierson, the registered owner of the white Dodge Ram 3500 that had been driven onto the course. Pierson and the other victim found in the truck—who has not yet been identified—both suffered fatal gunshot wounds.
An eyewitness told local NBC affiliate WXIA that golf club members were “reacting like ‘I think there might be gunshots’ and then apparently somebody was down on the ground. Then it was kind of like a frenzy, everyone was trying to figure out what was going on.”
Investigators have not yet determined the motive behind the triple homicide.
“All of us at the GSGA are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred earlier today at Pinetree CC,” the Georgia State Golf Association said in a widely disseminated and tweeted statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Gene Siller’s family and friends.”
The Kennesaw State University Office of Emergency Management sent a public alert via Twitter concerning a 6’1” Hispanic man with long hair weighing approximately 170 pounds. The school, which is just east of the country club, said the suspect was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants and is considered “armed and dangerous.”
According to the University, the suspect was last spotted just before 4 p.m. on Saturday approximately one mile from the school. By 5 p.m. Saturday the school said there was “no credible threat” to the campus.
The incident is presumed to be connected to the deaths.
The Georgia PGA tweeted about the tragic incident on Saturday evening.
“Tragedy has stricken the Georgia Section PGA in the loss of our Member, Gene Siller. Thoughts and prayers for his family and the Pinetree Country Club family,” the organization wrote.
PGA President Jim Richerson also released a statement about the shooting.
“We are truly heartbroken to hear about the senseless murder that took place yesterday at Pinetree Country Club in Georgia that took the life of PGA member Gene Siller,” Richerson said.
“The PGA of America sends our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathy to his family, club and the Georgia PGA community.”
A member at the club told The Gwinnet Daily Post that Siller, a father of two, was “a super nice guy.”
A GoFundMe was set up to benefit Siller’s family. As of Monday morning, it had raised more than $247,000.
[image via YouTube/11Alive screengrab]