ATLANTA — During a Wednesday morning press conference about the city's summer safety plan, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum reflected on and shared information about the Peachtree Center shooting and Gwinnett bus hijacking that occurred on Tuesday.
Dickens and Schierbaum both emphasized the great work and collaboration done by Atlanta first responders in handling both situations and how good training is to thank.
"Yesterday, you did not let this city down,” Schierbaum said. "When we have a critical incident, everyone comes together."
The speakers also made it clear that investigators have found no connection between the shooting and the hijacking. 11Alive did interview Joseph Grier, the hijacking suspect, as a witness of the shooting. But, as Schierbaum said, there appears to be no relationship.
In regards to the Peachtree Center shooting, both men reaffirmed that all victims are expected to make a full recovery. There also appears to be no relationship between the shooter and any of his victims, though two of them are sisters.
Officials said that a passenger called 911 and kept the line open during the bus hijacking, providing vital information to law enforcement despite Grier's demands.
Dickens and Schierbaum also discussed gun crime and holding repeat offenders accountable, as both individuals involved were convicted felons with guns. The shooting suspect, Jeremy Malone, has 11 prior arrests, while Grier has 19.
"These are the types of senseless acts of violence that we are trying to prevent here,” Dickens said.
The pair also discussed how judges, especially at the county level, need to be involved in the conversation about holding repeat offenders accountable.
"Judges have to be part of this conversation, and I applaud the judges who are part of it," Schierbaum specified.