Gunman id as Jay Stevens Berger, shooting from Atlanta Four Seasons hotel balcony arrested after firing barrage of gunfire at street below while wearing mask. Swat teams cordon off area before ‘bloodied’ man apprehended during ‘mental health emergency.’
A gunman seen on video shooting out of an Atlanta Four Seasons hotel balcony was arrested moments ago after terrorising bystanders as he seemingly randomly fired at people below and across into other buildings.
The armed suspect, since identified as Jay Stevens Berger, 70, is reported to have barricaded themselves inside the luxury hotel earlier that day while firing below leading to SWAT teams to evacuate the area and the building establishing a perimeter and issue a shelter in place in surrounding buildings, WSB-TV reported.
The shooter, who was wearing a pale-colored rubber mask, blasted a round of rapid fire towards people filming him from another balcony Tuesday afternoon.
BREAKING: There’s an active shooter at Four Seasons Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. pic.twitter.com/aHw7UCYcdT
— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) October 29, 2024
🚨#BREAKING: Numerous law enforcement officers are on the scene of an active shooter at the Four Seasons Hotel as dozens of shots have been fired⁰⁰📌#Atlanta | #Georgia
⁰Currently, a large response of law enforcement officers, emergency crews, and multiple agencies are on the… pic.twitter.com/Il3OWu7OwI— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) October 29, 2024
At some point Berger, who according to police lived on the residential condos of the Four Seasons stood outside the balcony with their hands up, wildly gesticulating along with throwing furniture off the balcony. The suspect also threw his handgun to the street below, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said during a Tuesday press conference.
The suspect is believed to have pulled a gun on somebody on a high hotel floor, with several shots having been heard.
Following his arrest, Berger was charged with aggravated assault, Schierbaum said.
Atlanta Police said they arrested the man shortly after 4:35pm and lifted the shelter in place.
UPDATE ⚡️
Suspect in Atlanta, Georgia who fired shots at the Four Seasons Hotel, appears to have been shot in the face.
According to video footage, it appears that the suspect was shot in the face when he was out on the balcony.
It’s unclear if anyone else was injured. pic.twitter.com/veqdH7bG8E
— Donaldo (@donaldotrumpato) October 29, 2024
‘Mental health emergency’
Atlanta News First reported that officers had been responding to a ‘demented person’ call.
More than seven hours after the gun violence began, the suspect surrendered and waved a white flag outside a balcony.
‘He did wave his hands to give up, and as he was on his balcony to say, please come get him. And so the men and women of Atlanta Police Department, the SWAT team, came and got him, and now he’s off to get medical attention, and this is where we are right now,’ said Atlanta MayorAndre Dickens.
Berger began shooting in the morning inside his apartment where there was various weapons inside his home. Officers recovered 3 weapons used by suspect including handgun, rifle and shotgun.
Police then responded to a ‘mental health emergency’ and learned Berger was involved in a altercation with a hotel employee.
Police and members of the department’s SWAT team then negotiated with Berger to come out of the apartment as they learned he was in possession of weapons, according to authorities.
The 33rd floor and the floor above and below were evacuated during the standoff, WEAR-TV reported.
Berger was taken to Grady Hospital for treatment following his arrest, after two Atlanta police officers ‘discharged their weapons.’
Along with Berger, an Atlanta police officer was also injured and taken to Grady Hospital. That officer’s injuries were not considered life-threatening, Chief Schierbaum told reporters.
TV footage showed a bloodied man, believed to be the gunman, being stretchered into an ambulance.
A regard of the five star hotel’s website, reveals rooms renting at $500 a night.
