Atlanta first responders work the scene of an Officer-Involved shooting on Merritts Avenue NE on Thursday morning near an Atlanta warming center.
ATLANTA, GA- As temperatures bottomed out across Atlanta on Thursday morning, violence erupted inside of a venue that local officials had put in place to help citizens keep warm through the frigid Atlanta temperatures. An incident inside of the building located near Downtown Atlanta led to an off-duty, Atlanta police officer working a side security job was forced to fire his weapon to defuse the situation.
According to information released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at around 9:50 a.m., an off-duty Atlanta police officer was working a security job at an Atlanta recreation center located in the 400 block of Merritts Avenue NE. The center located near Central Park just off of Boulevard and North Avenue in Atlanta had been setup as a warming center for area residents as temperatures dipped into the 20s across the area.
According to preliminary information provided by the GBI, the officer observed two people involved in an argument at the center. During the argument one of the persons involved in the argument produced a handgun and shot the other person. The Atlanta officer, fired their firearm in the direction of the suspected gunman. The bullet fired by the office did not strike the suspect, but did cause him to fall to the ground. The officer was able to place the suspected gunmen into custody.
The GBI has identified the suspected shooter as Antonio Wooten, age 37, of Atlanta, Georgia. The individual that was involved in the altercation with Wooten did sustain a gunshot wound and was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta for treatment of their injuries. The GBI also confirms a bystander was also shot during the incident. That person was also transported to Grady Hospital for treatment. The suspect in the case Wooten sustained a broken arm and was also transported to the hospital for medical care.
The Atlanta Police Department turned the investigation over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which will act as an independent body in the investigation. Upon completion of their investigation the case file will be turned over the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for review.
The Atlanta Police Department has confirmed Wooten has been charged with five counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He has been transported and booked into the Fulton County Jail on those charges. The two persons wounded in the shooting were said to be alert and conscious following the shooting.
The case remains under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
All Suspects Are Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty In A Court Of Law!!!
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