Armed robbery suspect shot by police outside Atlanta Lenox Square mall
ATLANTA GA January 20 2020— Police say an officer shot an attempted robber who was holding a victim at gunpoint in a parking garage at Lenox Square mall Saturday.
Police said in a press conference Saturday night that an officer who was patrolling the mall was alerted to an armed robbery in progress in a parking garage near the food court.
“The sergeant went to the scene of the parking garage, where he witnessed two individuals robbing another individual at gunpoint,” Deputy Chief Jeff Glazier said. “The sergeant ordered the suspect who had a gun to drop the gun. The suspect refused, so our sergeant fired multiple times at the suspect, striking him twice.”
The officer shot the robber twice, in the arm and chest. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition at Atlanta Medical Center. The other robber wasn’t injured and was taken into police custody.
The victim had minor injuries and was taken to the Grady Memorial Hospital.
The suspects and the victim have not been identified.
We’re talking to witnesses who saw the chaos unfold, for the Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat at 11 p.m.
Atlanta police said no police officers were injured. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to investigate.
Reports of gunshots quickly traveled inside the mall, where chaos ensued.
Twitter users reported hearing gunshots and seeing people running and screaming. Shoppers reported taking cover inside stores.
Channel 2′s Michael Seiden talked with a security guard who filmed video of the panicked crowd.
August Sharp said he was in the food court when he heard a loud commotion.
“I’m in the food court, eating my food, and I look upstairs and people are running. And so now, gunshots. Boom! Boom!” Sharp said. “Kids, fathers holding their kids’ hands. Everyone screaming. Everyone jumping on each other.”
Channel 2′s Lauren Davis talked to a shopper who dove for cover when she heard about the shooting. Lana Gonzalez was working at the Mac makeup counter when panic broke out.
“Everyone starts running, and we get on the back of the floor stockroom and wait until everything calms down,” Gonzalez said.
She said she went out to the parking deck and what she saw was alarming.
“We ran outside to the parking lot and heard officers screaming that someone got shot,” Gonzalez said.
This isn’t the first shooting at Lenox Square. There was one back in December 2019 where a Macy’s employee was shot during a robbery in the parking deck. One suspect in that robbery is still on the run.
Gonzalez said violent incidents are happening at the mall way too often.
“I feel like if this keeps happening, they need to do something to stop people coming,” Gonzalez said. “Coming to the mall to work, it doesn’t seem like a safe place at all.”
WSBTV
