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.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Authorities have made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the kidnapping and murder of 16-year-old Miranda Corsette.
On Saturday morning, March 9, Michelle Brandes, 37, the domestic partner of Steven Gress, 35, surrendered to police.
Brandes is now in custody and has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Corsette’s death.
Meanwhile, Gress, who was already in custody on unrelated charges, has also been formally charged with first-degree murder for his role in the brutal killing.
On March 6, a witness contacted authorities with critical information regarding a possible kidnapping and homicide involving Corsette, who had been reported missing on February 24 to the Gulfport Police Department.
Through the course of their investigation, detectives uncovered the following disturbing timeline:
- February 14 – Miranda Corsette met Steven Gress for the first time after being lured via a social media app. She returned home that night.
- February 15 – Corsette voluntarily returned to Gress’s home, a duplex located at 2708 27th Ave. N.
- February 20 – A dispute occurred inside the home, during which Corsette was brutally beaten.
- Sometime between February 20 and February 24 – Corsette was killed at the residence.
After the murder, investigators determined that Gress transported Corsette’s body to a residence at 12243 Mallory Drive in Largo.
Evidence at the Largo home suggests the victim was dismembered before being taken to Hillsborough County, where Gress disposed of her remains in a dumpster at 2893 14th Ave. S.E. in Ruskin.
Authorities have located the dumpster and are conducting an intensive search for Corsette’s remains.
Arrests and Charges
- Steven Gress, 35
- First-degree murder (Miranda Corsette)
- Kidnapping
- Prior arrests (March 5) for aggravated assault with a harpoon and drug possession
- Michelle Brandes, 37
- First-degree murder (turned herself in on March 9)
This remains an active and ongoing investigation, with additional charges likely as authorities continue gathering evidence.
The St. Petersburg Police Department extends gratitude to multiple local, state, and federal agencies assisting in this complex investigation, including:
- Gulfport Police Department
- Largo Police Department
- Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
- State and federal partners
Further updates will be provided as new details emerge.