A man shot three people at a food court in downtown Atlanta before a police officer shot him on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.
All four individuals who were shot at the Peachtree Center food court are expected to recover, including the shooter, according to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.
During a press briefing, Mayor Andre Dickens commended the officer who stopped the gunman. “If he hadn’t been there, things could have been worse,” Dickens said.
Peachtree Center includes office towers and an underground mall near several hotels that are central to Atlanta’s bustling convention business.
The shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m., Schierbaum noted.
The victims were a 47-year-old man from Grayson, a 69-year-old woman from East Point, and a 70-year-old woman from Atlanta, all shot by the suspect during what Schierbaum described as a brief altercation. It’s unclear if the shooter knew the victims.
Police at the shooting scene (Via Sam Broad/Shutterstock)
All four individuals were taken to hospitals, and two are in critical condition, Schierbaum added.
An off-duty Atlanta police officer, who was providing security at the food court, confronted and injured the shooter.
“The officer acted quickly, putting himself at risk and eliminating the threat to the community,” Schierbaum stated, noting that the mall’s surveillance cameras captured the incident.
The suspect had a history of multiple arrests and had served time in prison for armed robbery. Due to his previous felony conviction, he should not have had a firearm, Schierbaum confirmed.
