ATLANTA — Atlanta police told Channel 2 Action News that car thieves shot a woman who witnessed them smashing windows and breaking into cars.
The shooting happened around 3 p.m. Thursday on Park Avenue in Grant Park in front of horrified neighbors.
“My neighbor said she heard a screech, the car zoom off and a gunshot,” said Chaz Stouffer, who lives near the area.
Stouffer came home and saw his friend’s trucks damaged on the corner of Park Avenue and Berne Street.
Atlanta police said a woman noticed the crime happening, confronted the thieves while inside of her car, and the thieves shot at her car.
Police said one of the bullets hit the woman in the leg.
“It sucks, you know. It’s like it could happened to anybody. It could have been a jogger, could have been me. I mean, I’m on this stoop all the time,” Stouffer said.
Thieves have been busy in the area.
Overnight in the Peoplestown neighborhood nearby, video shows two people getting into one of the multiple cars our Channel 2 Action News crew found damaged.
Stouffer said everyone is concerned the thieves are armed.
“Make sure you lock your doors, lock your windows, make sure there's not valuables sitting in the open in your car,” Stouffer said.
The suspects were last seen running toward Grant Park but the hope is they are not running for long.
“I hope they’re held accountable,” Stouffer said.
The victim was taken to a hospital, but she is recovering and expected to be OK.
Police don’t have a description of the thieves, though witnesses said they are all young.