DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A metro Atlanta hospital was briefly forced on lockdown after a shooting apparently involving bounty hunters chasing a suspect.
The situation unfolded around noon at the Georgia Regional Hospital off Panthersville Road in DeKalb County. 11Alive viewers called into our newsroom to also report the lockdown.
According to the DeKalb County Police Department, the bounty hunters were reportedly pursing a suspect when one of them fired a non-lethal shot at the suspect.
Police said the suspect got away, but the bounty hunters are now facing their own set of charges in connection to firing the gun. No DeKalb County Police Officers were involved in the situation.
In a statement, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities (DBHDD), which operates the facility, said they immediately locked down the hospital to "protect the safety of our staff and the individuals we serve."
"The lockdown was successfully executed by our well-trained staff who followed protocol to protect themselves and our patients. We commend the staff and leadership of the hospital for their outstanding response," the state agency continued.
The DBHDD said after the chase ended and they were assured by police that there was no danger, the lockdown was listed.
At this time, it's unclear what that suspect was wanted, however, the DBHDD said they have no reason to believe that anyone from the hospital was involved in the incident.
According to the state website, the DeKalb facility operates about 330 beds and provides care for adult mental health, development disabilities and other areas for several counties in the metro area.
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