Officials have said that an officer shot by an alleged rape suspect became the first Rockdale County, Ga., deputy killed in the line of duty since the early 1900s.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on Sunday that a day after he turned 28 years old, Brian Lamar Mahaffey was fatally shot by a man he was attempting to arrest on suspicion of rape.

Sheriff Jeff Wigington said that deputies were following up on a rape investigation just before 1 p. m. Saturday, executing a search warrant on the subject's home in the unincorporated town of Honey Creek looking for evidence.

Wigington further said, "They had gone in and checked the entire house. The bedroom was clear. But they had not checked the closet."

The newspaper also reported that as officers opened the closet door, the homeowner, identified as Terry Brown, allegedly began shooting from within the closet.

Officials further said that deputies shot back, fatally wounding Brown.

Jodi Shupe, Rockdale sheriff's spokeswoman said that Mahaffey was shot in the exchange, and even though he was wearing a bullet-proof vest, he was hit at an angle underneath the protection.
(With Inputs from Agencies)