Police: 2 men fire modified AR-15 outside apartments

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Two men are facing charges after Sandy Springs police said they fired an assault rifle indiscriminately outside an apartment building, just feet from small children.
 
Neighbors at the Edgewater at Sandy Springs Apartments on Roswell Road told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik they heard the rapid fire coming from a building on the property around midnight Tuesday.
 
"I was doing some homework.  All of a sudden I heard a bunch of shots, I'd say like eight shots," said Jay Chase.  "I hit the floor, hit the deck. I'm ex-military so I know what that's all about."
 
A neighbor, who asked Petchenik not to identify her, said she was standing on the back porch of her apartment when she heard the gunfire.
 
"I didn't know what it was.  I thought it was fireworks," she said.  "The cat went crazy.  I just kind of went numb."
 
A Sandy Springs police officer working off-duty on the property also heard the shots, and soon several other officers swarmed the property looking for the source.
 
Sgt. Ron Momon told Petchenik investigators eventually determined two men had been firing an AR-15 assault rifle that was modified to be fully automatic.  Petchenik could see bullet holes sprayed across a concrete embankment behind the apartment building.
 
"At this point, we don't have any idea why they were shooting," said Momon. "It doesn't make any sense to be shooting off your balcony and putting other people's lives in danger."
 
Momon said small children were sleeping inside the apartment.
 
"It's nonsense," he said.
 
Police have charged Randy Richburg, 24, of Evans, Ga., and Joshuan Gillam, 23, of Atlanta, with reckless conduct.  Momon said Richburg had several outstanding warrants from other police departments and gave officers a false name when questioned.
 
"It's pretty crazy how people can get automatic weapons and fire a weapon off the balcony," said Chase. "That's pretty crazy."

WSBTV