Sheriff Frank J. Lott

Frank J. Lott

Sheriff Frank Lott was shot and killed while responding to an alarm at Cedartown High School.

Sheriff Frank had just finished eating dinner with his family when he stopped by the office to check in. He was there when the alarm at the high school went off and decided to investigate it on his way home.

Sheriff Lott and a trustee, Benjamin Franklin Clark, responded to the alarm. The second alarm sounded just as Sheriff Lott and Mr. Clark arrived on the scene. Sheriff Lott radioed back, and learned that someone was apparently coming out of the building, according to dispatcher Carter. Sheriff Lott drove around to the back of the school where he noticed a man sitting inside a vehicle, the headlights on and the motor running. The sheriff stepped out of his patrol car and as he approached the vehicle, he asked, "What are you doing?" The man then stepped out of the car and fired a total of six shots. Sheriff Lott was shot three times in the chest, abdomen and leg. He was killed by the gunshot wound to the chest.

Mr. Clark managed to take Lott's gun and fire at the suspect as he drove away. The fleeing suspect returned fire and Mr. Clark was wounded twice in the leg and groin area.

Sheriff Lott was transported to Polk County General Hospital where he died 45 minutes later.

A suspect was later tried for Sheriff Lott's murder in 1998 but acquitted. The case remains unsolved.

Sheriff Lott had served with the agency for 12 years and was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.