ATLANTA — A person has been taken into custody, and an officer is injured after shots were fired at the Four Seasons Hotel in Midtown Atlanta on Tuesday afternoon.
Officers originally responded to the call as a mental health emergency in the residential part of the building on the 33rd floor. The hotel is down the street from Piedmont Park and not far from the Colony Square shopping mall.
The incident unfolded as police said the suspect, later identified as Jay Stevens Berger, refused to speak with law enforcement and might have had a handgun, which prompted heavy law enforcement presence. Authorities said the suspect allegedly began firing three different weapons and that more than 15 shots were fired. Berger was later taken into custody. Both Berger and an officer were hurt. Police said they did not believe the injuries were life-threatening.
Follow along below for updates.
Updates
7:34 p.m. | The Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta sent the following statement to 11Alive in response to the shooting:
"We are truly grateful for the swift response of the Atlanta Police Department and can confirm the hotel and surrounding area is now open. As always, the safety and security of our guests and employees is our top priority.
We would like to clarify that the incident took place in a residential condominium above the hotel and that Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta does not manage these residences."
6:24 p.m. | 11Alive's Tresia Bowles spoke with witnesses who described the shooting.
6:21 p.m. | 11Alive's Grace King is at Grady Hospital after an officer was hurt along with the suspected shooter.
6:00 p.m. | 11Alive's Cody Alcorn breaks down how the incident unfolded and that the suspect has been identified.
5:19 p.m. | APD said that after 10 a.m., they were sent to what was initially a mental health emergency at the Four Seasons in the residential area of the building. Officers were warned that the person may have had a handgun at the time he was allegedly involved in an altercation with an employee of the Four Seasons. Officers then attempted to get the person to come to the door, but he refused to speak with police, authorities said.
They then began to negotiate with him to try to get him to come out peacefully. They were worried the suspect may have had access to other weapons. Residents were evacuated on multiple floors -- the 33rd floor where it started and the floors directly above and below. The suspect began firing three different weapons -- a handgun, rifle and shotgun, police said. Most were fired through walls, and at least one round was fired from the balcony.
APD said one officer was injured but did not believe it was life-threatening. They have not yet said how the officer was injured.
At least one weapon was thrown off the balcony, police said. The SWAT team entered the building and took a man named Jay Stevens Berger into custody. This is considered to be an aggravated assault incident, and their Homeland Security team is also investigating.
Berger was injured and is in stable condition. He has been taken to the hospital for treatment.
APD said its agency has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate. The GBI confirmed they have been requested to investigate the use of force in the incident.
Watch the full presser below.
5:00 p.m. | APD will hold a news conference shortly to provide more information about what happened. You can listen to it in the video above.
4:47 p.m. | 11Alive's Cody Alcorn has seen one person being brought out and put into an ambulance. Details on who this person is are currently unknown as we await a news conference from APD.
4:38 p.m. | 11Alive's Cody Alcorn is on the scene and said the shelter-in-place order has been lifted and the suspect has been apprehended. APD is still asking people to avoid the area, and streets will continue to be closed in the area for a time as the investigation continues.
4:33 p.m. | 11Alive's Cody Alcorn describes APD's shelter-in-place order and areas to avoid. More agencies are starting to show up to assist APD.
4:25 p.m. | 11Alive's Kaitlyn Ross spoke to a witness who is locked down inside her suite at the Four Seasons. The witness said it all started around 1:30 p.m. and noticed something was off. They walked downstairs to building security to let them know. Building security initially tried to take care of it, but the alleged suspect kept getting more agitated.
4:10 p.m. | 11Alive's Cody Alcorn describes what he's seeing at the scene and that snipers are in surrounding buildings. He explains how he's still hearing gunshots.
4:00 p.m. | Somebody in the building shared an email with 11Alive saying that the Four Seasons Hotel building is in lockdown until further notice.
In addition, APD has issued a shelter-in-place order and told people to stay out of the area. Those within the hotel are advised to avoid any windows and rooms facing the area. Units have set up a perimeter to safely investigate.
At this time, road closures are 14th St NE at W Peachtree St NE and Crescent Ave NE, 13th St NE at W Peachtree St NE and Crescent Ave NE, and the Peachtree Walk.
3:50 p.m. | 11Alive's Cody Alcorn sees snipers on the scene and hears dozens of shots being fired.
3:28 p.m. | 11Alive's Cody Alcorn is at the scene and said multiple gunshots are being fired.
3:20 p.m. | Atlanta Police is asking the public to stay away from the 14th and 13th streets.
3:11 p.m. | 11Alive's Cody Alcorn reports that the incident started as an armed person in the building.
