A shooting incident occurred in midtown Atlanta just this Monday (August 22). Two people are reported dead and one wounded.
Heavily armed police officers made an extensive search at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Where they arrested a female suspect. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office identified 60-year-old Michael Shinners and 41-year-old Wesley Freeman that died in the shooting.
At a news conference, Mayor Andre Dickens reassure its citizens that the incident is being investigated. “You are safe at this time,” he says. “The suspect has been apprehended and all is back to normal.”
Mayor Dickens also praised the strong coordination and professionalism of the law enforcement agencies. “I want to state clearly that the security of the airport was never compromised,” Mr. Dickens said at the news conference. “The suspect was apprehended prior to being in any controlled areas of the airport.”
The surviving victim was immediately rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, the victim’s condition is still unknown.
Further details on the shooting incident
The Twitter account of the Atlanta Police Department provided updates on the shooting. They reported that they received a call at around 1:45 PM, where a person was shot at 1280 W. Peachtree Street. However, arriving at the scene, two people were already shot. A second victim was also reported at 1100 Peachtree Street.
Update on Midtown Situation:
***SUSPECT IN CUSTODY***
On 8-22-2022, at around 1:45 PM, officers responded to a person shot call at 1280 W. Peachtree Street. Upon arrival, officers located two individuals who appeared to have been shot. One of the victims has died.
— Atlanta Police Department (@Atlanta_Police) August 22, 2022
An article from Reuters featured a cook, 35-year-old TaQuanda Alexander, who was at Colony Square trying to fill out some job applications when she heard the police sirens. “The policemen came and told all to get inside,” she said. “There were sirens and a helicopter and all that. We were shaking. All we heard was that people got shot.”
The shooting was described as an “active situation in Midtown.” Thus, Chief Schierbaum said that the officers from different agencies responded. Authorities also issued a shelter in place order in order to search the area.
ATLANTA ACTIVE SHOOTER: Atlanta police say there is an active shooter at Colony Square in midtown. Three people have been shot and the shooter is not in custody. APD wants everyone to stay indoors in the area of Peachtree from 12th to 15th St https://t.co/WN99izKxOR @FOX5Atlanta
— Rob DiRienzo (@RobDiRienzo) August 22, 2022
According to The New York Times, state troopers blocked the highway just south of Atlanta’s downtown core. This caused a stop at rush hour on one of the city’s busiest streets. “We are currently working on an active situation in Midtown. Preliminary information indicates three people have been shot. The shooter is not in custody and we have multiple officers in the area searching for the suspect,” APD stated earlier on Twitter.
The police were able to track the suspect with the help of the public in the area as well as the extensive camera network. They provided photographs of the alleged suspect on Twitter.
Who is the suspect and what was the intention?
Atlanta Police Department once again turned to Twitter. They stated that they are still investigating the incident and the suspect. “We are working to determine whether the victims were targeted by the suspect or whether any of the victims were shot randomly.”
Unfortunately, they also did not disclose the suspect’s identity. The female suspect has only been taken into custody without incident. Images also only showed the woman wearing a striped shirt and pulling a rolling suitcase with her right hand.
3. The last shot appears to have been fired around 2:15 PM.
4. The attached photos depict the individual we believe is responsible for the shootings pic.twitter.com/iW3IHvxbvw— Atlanta Police Department (@Atlanta_Police) August 22, 2022
However, police believed that the woman may be involved in at least one of the shooting locations. “We do not believe these were random acts of violence,” Schierbaum said. But they do believe the individuals were targeted.
We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims who died. We also wish the residents of Atlanta to be safe.
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