ATLANTA—A 70-year-old man armed with a handgun, shotgun, and rifle fired at least 15 gunshots through the walls and door and off the balcony of his apartment at a Four Seasons Hotel in Atlanta during a standoff on Tuesday afternoon. He was eventually taken into custody, according to police.
During the altercation, two police officers shot back at the suspect. Both the suspect and one officer were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It was unclear if either had been shot, said Atlanta Chief of Police Darin Schierbaum at a press conference.
The incident began when police responded to a call about a mental health emergency at the hotel in Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood around 10 a.m. The suspect had reportedly been involved in an altercation with a hotel employee.
After failed attempts to peacefully surrender, the suspect started firing shots. He also had multiple knives and threw at least one weapon off the balcony before eventually raising his hands and being taken into custody by a SWAT team, Schierbaum explained.
Authorities set up a perimeter around the hotel and issued a shelter-in-place advisory for nearby residents. While the advisory was later lifted, people were urged to avoid the area as the investigation continued.
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Chief Schierbaum stated that the altercation is being investigated as an aggravated assault. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will also look into the officers’ use of force during the incident.
Authorities have closed nearby streets as they continue their investigation, and the public is advised to avoid the area.
