ATLANTA -- One person is in custody for a firearms charge after a back to school event turned violent Saturday night.
A man was shot in the leg around 8:10 p.m. Saturday at Coan Park on Woodbine Avenue as an event called Zone 6 Day was ending.
Police said they detained Santonio Foster an outstanding warrant and charged him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Foster has not been named as the shooter.
About 300 people were initially expected at the event, but the crowd swelled to more than 2,000. Police said they expected the larger group, and had already deployed additional manpower.Officers at the park requested additional units after the shooting occurred.
They found the 23-year-old victim in the park at the recreation center.
According to John Chafee of APD, police noticed a black Mustang leaving the area after they heard the shots. Right before they were able to conduct a traffic stop, a passenger got out of the vehicle. They are still trying to locate that person.
Officers pulled the vehicle over on Hosea L. Williams Driver and detained the driver and a passenger. That's when they said they realized the passenger had an outstanding warrant out of Fulton County for failure to appear in court on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana less than an Ounce and false representation to police.
They said they located handguns and suspected marijuana in the car. Foster, 24, was arrested on the outstanding warrant and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
APD released the driver. Police are still trying to determine who fired the shots and said they are looking into the possibility of these two being involved in any way.
Several artists, including 21 Savage, Big Bank, and Future made appearances at the event. 21 Savage also played basketball with some of the kids. We're told his phone was also stolen at the event.
City of Atlanta crews were sent to the park Sunday morning to clean up trash that was left behind from the night before.
Eric Garrison, who lives across from the park, said he received no notice from the city about Zone 6 Day until the crowds began showing up.
"Our biggest concern of course is that there was way too many people in a park of this size. It really isn't a park that is fit for a crowd of that size, frankly. It spills into our properties and our own livelihood. We couldn't get out of our driveways and so it was a very difficult day."
After the gunfire, he sid people broke his electric gate as they looked for a safe place to hide in his backyard.
Down the street, Lori Rabon says she noticed extra officers on hand before the event. She wants to kow what was done to vet the event and its estimated crowd before the permit was approved.
"I think they probably had as much officers as they can, but they can't take every police in the city of Atlanta and put them on this park party," she said. "So, I don't fault the police for this at all. I think it is more about the promoter of the party and the city who approved the party."
APD is asking anyone with information to come forward. Information on the case can be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or online. Persons do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for the reward of up to $2,000 for the arrest and indictment of the suspects.
