ATLANTA — People spent Monday cleaning up near Atlantic Station after a large crowd of juveniles reportedly set off fireworks, then opened fire with guns around the area.
The damage was from an incident on Saturday night, where Channel 2 Action News showed how a large group of kids ended up needing a massive police response, and the entertainment hub was evacuated.
Channel 2 Action News was there as workers replaced windows shot out at the Invesco building on Spring Street and 17th Street.
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That same night, police police detained five juveniles after buildings were damage and a gunfight broke out.
However, the incident started hours earlier at Atlantic Station.
Police said they first responded to Atlantic Station regarding a report of juveniles fighting.
Upon arrival, officers encountered a very large crowd of young people. During the investigation, it was determined that fireworks had been ignited in and around Atlantic Station.
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Those that were here during the incident said it shouldn’t have happened.
“It was scary, I was frantic, I was very nervous,” Jhavion Tate told Channel 2 Action News. “I dropped everything and just ran, and as we got behind, we got up on the cover. I mean, people were under tables.”
Tate was at Atlantic Station for a fun night out, but instead spent time under tables ducking for cover before running away to safety.
A few minutes later, Dominique Gray told Doudna he arrived to see a movie on date night.
“I saw some people walking around, saw a restaurant ushering some individuals out, saw some kids crying, saw security guards down the street ushering in people, saying ‘we were closed,’” Gray said.
Gray was happy that no one was hurt and said he did not see signs of panic while he was there.
After the fireworks, police worked to disperse the crowd, but just a couple of hours later, kids were exchanging gunfire on the other side of the 17th Street Bridge, shattering windows.
“For me, it’s just where are the parents, where are their adults, where are the individuals that are leading these young kids’ lives?” one person at Atlantic Station told Channel 2 Action News.
Parents should have been there. It’s not just an idea but a policy.
Atlantic Station’s stated rules say that anyone under het age of 18 is supposed to be accompanied by an adult after 3 p.m.
Instead, Saturday night’s fireworks led to gunshots.
Tate said the incident left a negative feeling for him of the city.
“I was actually very disappointed in the city of Atlanta,” Tate told Doudna.
Atlantic Station told Channel 2 Action News it would soon release a joint statement with the Atlanta Police. We will update with more information as it becomes available.
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