ATLANTA — A person of interest turned suspect has officially been arrested after a woman was shot at Piedmont Park Monday evening, according to the Atlanta Police Department.
Officers were called to 1073 Piedmont Ave. NE. at 6:08 p.m. When officers arrived, APD said they found the woman shot in her hand.
Atlanta Police said she was taken to the hospital conscious and breathing. According to APD's preliminary investigation, she was a bystander of an argument that escalated to gunfire at the basketball courts.
Police have arrested 18-year-old Artavious Alexander in connection with the shooting. The teen is now accused of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
11Alive SkyTracker flew over the scene around 6:30 p.m. Monday, where crime scene tape was seen around the basketball and tennis courts.
“It was literally like eight to 10 gunshots," Dominique Reedy, who was at Piedmont Park, said.
That's when Reedy and his friends decided to leave.
“It was crazy because as we were walking to the car, that's when the policemen apprehended the three guys," Reedy said. "Like literally, I was walking up to the car. They were like, ‘Freeze!’ And I was like, 'Who? Me?'”
Reedy said he initially believed he heard fireworks but then thought they were gunshots because they came in rapid succession.
“That's scary because we were all out there just enjoying our afternoon, and next thing you know, it was police cars everywhere," Reedy said.
Reedy goes to Piedmont Park daily with his dogs and said that wouldn't be changing.
“I'm a live-out-loud type of person, so when it comes to incidents happening around the community, I just stay prayed up honestly," Reedy said. "I don't know what anybody else's religious beliefs are, but I'm protected.”
Investigators with APD's Aggravated Assault Unit are still working to determine other circumstances surrounding the shooting.
In 2022, crews installed additional security cameras and lighting, and police increased patrols at Piedmont Park to make it safer.
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