ATLANTA — An Atlanta Police Department (APD) officer and a 70-year-old man are still hospitalized following a prolonged, tense standoff at the Four Seasons in Midtown Atlanta on Tuesday.
The incident, which escalated from a reported dispute into multiple rounds of gunfire, unfolded over several hours and concluded with the arrest of the suspect, identified as Jay Stevens Berger, a doctor in the community.
Timeline Midtown Four Season Shooting
The crisis began late Tuesday morning, just after 10 a.m. when APD officers responded to a reported altercation on the 33rd floor of the residential section of the Four Seasons, located off 14th Street. According to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, the initial call came in as a mental health emergency involving Berger, who allegedly became aggressive with a hotel staff member. When officers arrived, Berger refused to open the door and appeared agitated.
11 a.m.
Upon assessing the situation, officers learned that Berger had access to multiple firearms, including a handgun, shotgun, rifle, and several knives. After refusing the officers' orders several times, APD said its tactics team established a perimeter and evacuated the 33rd and nearby floors.
Noon.
Negotiations began, but the situation quickly took a turn when Berger reportedly started firing from inside his unit. Witnesses inside the hotel and neighboring buildings heard rounds discharged through walls, the door, and at least once from the balcony. According to on-scene 11Alive reporters, Berger could be seen hurling furniture over his balcony, wearing a gas mask, and waving American flags.
3 p.m.
SWAT units and snipers were positioned around the area as officers worked to contain the scene. Residents and hotel guests on nearby floors were told to shelter in place, and several streets, including 12th and 14th streets, Crescent Avenue, and Peachtree Walk, were closed for public safety.
"We hear the guy still getting more agitated and screaming," One witness said on Tuesday following the chaos. "Then we started hearing shots; we just heard errant shots since so I don’t know what the hell’s going on now."
4:15 p.m.
Negotiations continued for hours until Berger appeared to raise his hands as if surrendering. Shortly after, SWAT officers entered the unit and took him into custody without further shots fired. Both Berger and an APD officer sustained injuries during the standoff. The officer’s injuries were described as non-life-threatening, and he, along with Berger, was taken to Grady Hospital, where both remain in stable condition.
APD has not specified the officer’s exact injuries, but he is expected to recover. The suspect, Berger, also received treatment for unspecified injuries. His condition is stable, and police anticipate filing aggravated assault charges along with additional charges once the investigation concludes.
Guests and residents described the alarming scenes unfolding around them. One hotel guest confined to her room said, “I thought I heard gunshots and kind of jumped up. The street was full of policemen, but nobody seemed to be rushing around, so I figured it was okay.”
Next steps in Midtown Four Seasons shooting
APD has requested that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) review the use of force by two officers involved in the standoff, who discharged their weapons after Berger reportedly fired from his balcony.
“We saw bravery," Chief Schierbaum said, commending the APD’s response during a press conference on Tuesday. "We saw an effort to make sure we preserve life."
Berger’s past in the community, where he reportedly served as a mentor to medical students, has left those who knew him in shock. A friend expressed her disbelief, describing Berger as “a kind man who always treats people with respect,” adding that she and others are “grateful more people were not hurt.”