Gene Siller, the professional golfer who was shot and killed at a Georgia country club over the weekend likely inadvertently “witnessed an active crime taking place,” and was killed because of this, police told CBS affiliate WGCL-TV.
"It does not appear he [Siller] was targeted," the Cobb County Police Department said in a press release, noting that it appears that Siller was killed because he "happened upon a crime in progress involving the unknown suspect and the two deceased males.”
Law enforcement said that Siller, who was also the director of golf at Pinetree Country Club, was shot sometime on Saturday before 2:20 p.m. while walking towards a white Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck that had driven onto the course. A member of the club later told WXIA, a CNN affiliate, that someone driving the truck had shot Siller when he went to see why the truck was driving on the course and then fled the scene.
Police later found two bodies in the bed of the truck, one of which was the truck’s owner, Paul Pierson, and are still trying to find the perpetrator. They also said that Pierson and the other deceased man found in the truck "appear to have no relation to the location at all.”
“We are aware that the public has many questions,” police said in a statement. “The most pressing one being why this happened.”
The statement adds that it’s too early for the police to determine a motive for the crimes, and said that although the shooter’s location is unknown there is no imminent threat to the public.
"This doesn't make any sense," said Brian Katrek, a member of the club and an anchor of SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, told CNN's "New Day" before the police announcement.
"I think the reaction from members right now is still one of pretty profound shock," he added.