Wednesday July 16th, 2025 2:23AM

Shootout kills suspect, wounds FBI agent

By The Associated Press
<p>A manhunt for a pair of Alabama bank robbery suspects who wounded a Columbus police officer ended Thursday after a shootout with FBI agents at a Conyers motel. One suspect was killed and an FBI agent was wounded, city officials said.</p><p>Morgan Chigawa, 20, and Malik Salman Elawad, 25, were wanted for aggravated assault of a police officer stemming from a Monday bank robbery in Phenix City, Ala., said Columbus police spokesman Capt. Lem Miller.</p><p>"We're just very glad that they were apprehended because they've been at large ever since Monday," Miller said.</p><p>Chigawa, of Fort Benning, was killed in the shootout with the SWAT team Thursday, authorities said. The other suspect was taken into custody, said Conyers spokeswoman Jennifer Edwards.</p><p>The FBI agent, whose name has not been released, was taken to Rockdale County Medical Center, Edwards said.</p><p>On Monday, Columbus police confronted the suspects in a shootout in the parking lot of a local mall. Columbus Lt. Mark Starling was shot in the left arm and shoulder before the pair fled, Miller said. Starling is recovering at The Medical Center in Columbus.</p><p>Two days later, FBI officials alerted Conyers authorities that the suspects could be in the area. Conyers police and the SWAT team surrounded the suspects' room at the Ramada Limited on Thursday morning after a Conyers police officer spotted their car, Edwards said.</p><p>The shootout happened after one of the wanted men tried to run to his car and traded shots with authorities at 9:30 a.m.</p><p>The FBI agent was wounded in the leg after a bullet deflected off his car. It is not known if the bullet was from one of the wanted men or from police, Edwards said.</p><p>Schools in the area were placed under lockdown prior to the shootout, Edwards said.</p>
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