A police officer and a suspected shooter were injured Tuesday after gunfire erupted at a Midtown Atlanta building occupied by a Four Seasons hotel and residences, authorities said.
The officer was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said at a news conference. The suspect was also hospitalized; his injuries were not specified.
The man fired at least once from the balcony of a residence on the 33rd floor of the 53-story building, Schierbaum said. Officials say he also fired through walls and doors, but no other injuries have been reported.
The shooter used as many as three guns, including a handgun and at least one long gun, Schierbaum said. At least two officers returned fire, he said.
Police responded to the high-rise after 10 a.m. following a dispute between a building worker and the man on the 33rd floor, which is occupied by residences, Schierbaum said.
“Officers attempted to get the individual to come to the door to speak with them and he refused to do so, and then we began negotiating … asking him to come out,” Schierbaum said.
A weapon was thrown from the balcony, he said.
The 33rd floor was evacuated as police stood off with the man and ultimately breached the door of the unit to rush him and take him into custody, he said.
The floors above and below were “sealed off” during the incident, Schierbaum said. Traffic below was halted, he said.
It was not clear whether the injured, including the officer and the suspect, were struck by gunfire.
The suspect, identified by police as 70-year-old Jay Stevens Berger, will be investigated on suspicion of aggravated assault and other possible violations, Schierbaum said.
An person with the same name who resides at the Four Seasons building is listed by the Georgia Composite Medical Board as an M.D. and certified ophthalmologist.
An ophthalmologist with the same name is also listed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as having a practice in Newnan, Georgia, about 40 miles southwest of Atlanta. A phone number for that office was out of service.
Schierbaum praised his officers for ending the incident without loss of life.
“We saw bravery,” he said. “We saw an effort made to preserve life.”
Mayor Andre Dickens said the gunman was wearing what appeared to be a gas mask. It was not clear why.
He said at the news conference that more than 15 shots were fired.
Because police used force, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will investigate officers’ response, Schierbaum said.
At 4:35 p.m., police said on X that a shelter-in-place order for those in and near the high-rise on 14th Street Northeast has been lifted and that a suspect was in custody.
The police department asked people to continue to avoid the area as it investigated.
The Four Seasons hotel takes up 19 of 53 stories of the high-rise and occupies 244 rooms, 23 of which are designated suites. It opened in 1997, according to the Four Seasons.Brian Carr, spokesperson for the Midtown Alliance in Atlanta, said the high-rise also includes 96 residences and 97,000 square feet of office space.
Elissa Wallis, a spokesperson for Four Seasons locations in the Americas, emphasized that the incident happened outside the hotel’s portion of the high-rise, in a residential condominium that is not managed by the hospitality company.
“We are truly grateful for the swift response of the Atlanta Police Department and can confirm the hotel and surrounding area is now open,” she said by email. “As always, the safety and security of our guests and employees is our top priority.”
Read the full article here
