A 34-year-old convicted felon with a long criminal history opened fire at the food court located in downtown Atlanta’s Peachtree Center last week, injuring three people before getting shot by an off-duty police officer.
The three victims and the shooter were all expected to survive, according to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Shierbaum.
In a press conference following the shooting, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens praised the off-duty officer who stopped the shooting, saying if he had not been at the food court, “things could have gotten worse.”
Chief Schierbaum said reports of shots fired began pouring in just after 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11.
The suspect, who was allegedly armed with a handgun, got into an altercation with one of the victims. The gunman “physically attacked” the individual and then opened fire. He continued to fire shots, striking the two other victims, Schierbaum said.
A 70-year-old from woman Atlanta, a 69-year-old East Point woman, and a 47-year-old Grayson man were injured in the shooting.
The off-duty officer, who was working security in the food court, shot and wounded the suspect.
Schierbaum said it was not immediately clear if the suspect knew any of the victims.
The gunman, whose name was withheld, is a convicted felon who has served time for armed robbery and had nearly a dozen previous arrests, Schierbaum said, adding that with his criminal history, the suspect “should never have been possessing a gun.”
Since it was an officer-involved shooting, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will be taking the lead on the investigation, the chief said.
The Peachtree Center food court is the hub of a 1.5 million square foot complex featuring retail outlets and office spaces in the heart of downtown Atlanta. The complex includes three hotels, ten office buildings, 50 restaurants, and four event centers.
