Teen arrested for shooting woman in the middle of Piedmont Park, police say

ATLANTA — A teenager is now in police custody after a woman was shot in Piedmont Park on Monday afternoon.

Artavious Alexander, 18, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

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Police confirmed a woman was shot in the hand near the basketball courts in the middle of the park between the lake the Atlanta Botanical Gardens around 6 p.m.

Officials confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that a possible suspect had been detained on the scene. It is unclear if that person was Alexander.

“I’m scared now and like shocked. This is not a place where people are shot. Everyone is coming here. Children are coming here. Students are coming here, so it’s like scary,” parkgoer Deepsha Jain told Channel 2′s Larry Spruill.

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This time last year, Atlanta police say there were 1,483 aggravated assaults. This year, there have been 1,116, not including this shooting, meaning aggravated assaults are down 25% compared to last year.

Alexander is currently being held in the Fulton County Jail.

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