Slain Paulding Deputy's Funeral To Impact Cobb Traffic

COBB COUNTY, GA — A funeral for a slain Paulding County deputy will be held Friday, and Cobb County school officials are warning of heavy traffic delays affecting students.

Paulding Deputy Brandon Cunningham was fatally shot responding to a domestic call Saturday at a Foggy Creek Lane home in Hiram. Paulding County Maj. Ashley Henson said at a past news conference that Cunningham was shot with a rifle within 8 seconds of getting out of his patrol car at the scene. His partner was not injured in the shooting, Henson said.

Shayla Benson, reportedly Cunningham's fiancee, told Fox 5 Atlanta that he was her soulmate. She was one of the Paulding deputies who responded to the scene of the deadly shooting, the news outlet reported.

"Brandon and I, we never thought this would happen in a million years," Benson said in the Fox 5 report. "We never talked about it. If anything, I was always the one scared. He put on the bravest face for me. He was my bravery, he was my hero, he was my heart."

Cunningham's funeral is set to start at 2 p.m. at West Ridge Church, 3522 Hiram Acworth Highway in Dallas, the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday.

The funeral will include public visitation from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., a 21-gun salute and "Taps" around 3:30 p.m. and a flyover at 3:40 p.m., authorities said.

The public may watch the 4 p.m. processional from a safe location along Marietta-Dallas Highway (GA-120 east), authorities said.

A graveside service at Kennesaw Memorial Park in Marietta will follow the funeral. Authorities said only family, friends and Paulding law-enforcement personnel will be allowed at the burial.

Due to services for Cunningham, the Cobb County Department of Transportation issued a significant traffic advisory for Friday afternoon, school officials said Thursday. Traffic could be gridlocked for up to five hours, including at side streets and major arteries, school officials said.

While elementary students in Cobb County will be released on normal schedule, high-school students will be released early at 11:30 a.m., and middle-school students will be released at 12:30 p.m.

After-school programs for elementary students will continue as scheduled, school officials said. If parents are late picking up their students, school officials said they will not be charged.

Anyone whose extracurriculars are impacted by the traffic delay will be notified by their school.

"As always, your child's bus is the easiest and likely fastest route home, especially during high-traffic events. Please track your child's progress home through the Here Comes the Bus app," school officials said.

The public will be able to watch a livestream of Cunningham's service via West Ridge's website or the church's Facebook page, authorities said.