Crime
Suspect in custody after shots Fired in barricade situation at Four Seasons Hotel in Atlanta
UPDATE: A 70-year-old man, identified as Jay Stevens Berger, was arrested following a standoff with police at the Four Seasons Hotel in Denver.
Police were initially called to the hotel in response to a mental health emergency. However, the situation escalated when Berger, armed with multiple weapons, refused to cooperate with officers. He fired shots from his hotel room, injuring a police officer.
A SWAT team was deployed to the scene and eventually breached the room, taking Berger into custody. The suspect and the injured officer were both hospitalized.
Berger is facing charges related to the shooting incident. The specific charges have not been disclosed at this time.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
Shots rang out near the bustling Four Seasons Hotel in Midtown Atlanta on Tuesday afternoon as police responded to reports of a barricaded gunman.
The initial call came in around 2 p.m., spurring a heavy police presence at the hotel on 14th Street, which is located near Piedmont Park and close to the Colony Square shopping mall.
Officers promptly set up a safety perimeter to manage the unfolding situation.
Suspect seen throwing several objects before firing shots on the balcony.
Video: Suspect seen throwing several objects before firing shots on the balcony of Four Seasons hotel in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia.https://t.co/qwYgJJnNu2 pic.twitter.com/QanWqUWjvi— News Channel3 Now (@newschannel3now) October 29, 2024
In response to the incident, the Atlanta Police Department closed multiple roads surrounding the area to facilitate the investigation.
The list of closures includes:
- 14th St NE at W Peachtree St NE and Crescent Ave NE
- 13th St NE at W Peachtree St NE and Crescent Ave NE
- The Peachtree Walk
Several patrol vehicles were stationed outside the hotel entrance, as authorities worked to ensure public safety while assessing the situation.
Further details have yet to be released, and police are continuing their investigation.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA โ A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple Universityโs campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple Universityโs Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
โThe loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victimโs family and loved ones.โ
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victimโs last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individualโs involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.