ATLANTA — A resident manager at the Four Seasons hotel where police say a man fired dozens of shots says that man aimed a gun at him when he went to his condo.
The shooting shut down streets in that area Tuesday. A sniper eventually shot and wounded Jay Steven Berger, 70.
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People who live and work near the hotel said they heard more than 50 shots. They had no idea if the bullets were coming their way.
“Oh yeah of course it’s scary,” Subway manager Mohammed Khan said.
His shop is just steps away from the hotel. Khan saw all the police flooding the area and blocking off streets.
“Totally closed. Not even walking people,” Khan said.
Malcolm Alexander works at Gino’s Classic Barbers nearby. He heard the shots and was concerned for his coworkers and clients.
“Intense. We heard the gunshots. We were kind of fearing for our lives to be honest,” Alexander said.
Police say Berger began throwing items from his balcony on the 33rd floor of the hotel when they confronted him. Officers say Berger fired multiple shots into walls and the hallway.
Police say they were called to the hotel after Berger got into a dispute with a worker and showed a gun.
A resident manager called 911 after he went to Berger’s condo. On the 911 call, you can hear the resident manager say, “The owner in 3360 was at the end of... opened his door and appeared to be aiming a firearm at me.”
He went on to say Berger was “rattling off all kinds of crazy.”
Officers arrived and say Berger barricaded himself in his condo and began shooting. That’s when a sniper shot and wounded him.
Our photographer shot video of Berger being wheeled into an ambulance. Alexander said this isn’t his first time being so close to an active shooter incident.
He was working in nearby Colony Square in June when a gunman shot three people there.
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“So this is my second time being in an active shooter situation here in Atlanta,” he said.
Channel 2′s Tom Jones told him he was surprised he was still working in the area.
“Me too,” he replied.
Officers say Berger had multiple weapons in his condo. Channel 2 Action News is working to learn the charges Berger faces, and working to get an update on his condition.
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