Introduction
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About 500 teenagers gathered at Atlantic Station, and the incident escalated from setting off fireworks to live ammunition.
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A nearby Thai restaurant was hit by bullets, with around 30 shots fired and diners forced to the ground.
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Five teenagers were detained, but police have not announced any formal charges.
Atlanta – Atlanta police said nearly 500 teenagers caused a massive riot at Atlantic Station on Saturday night, firing fireworks into the crowd and eventually leading to actual shootings outside the district.
Atlantic station chaos
Backstory
Atlanta police initially responded to the mall just after 7 p.m. following reports of a shooting. While investigators quickly determined the sounds were actually those of a large group of “unruly” teenagers lighting off fireworks, the situation became more dangerous as the crowd dispersed.
“It can escalate from firecrackers to now guns to taking lives. That’s what we don’t want,” said John Williams, who was visiting the area.
As police cleared the mall, a group of teenagers allegedly began shooting near Northwest Spring and 17th Streets.
shooting outside atlantic station
what are they talking about
The gunfire forced patrons of Nantai’s upscale restaurant to take cover.
“Definitely about 30 cups,” said Jedi Niyomkul, the restaurant’s general manager. “I made sure everyone was on the ground because we did have a lot of glass.”
The restaurant was hit by at least one bullet, Nyomkur said. He expressed frustration that crowds were being pushed out of malls but not adequately monitored once they entered surrounding city streets.
“Once they let them cross the bridge, there were no patrols on this side to make sure they dispersed,” Nyomkur said. “Literally, on 17th and spring, right there, there were 100 to 150 kids sitting in the corner, doing nothing but looking for trouble.”
Atlantic Station curfew
Dig deeper
The riot occurred despite Atlantic Station’s strict code of conduct. The district has instituted a 3 p.m. curfew for anyone under 18 and requires them to stay with a parent or guardian. Additionally, no one under the age of 21 is allowed in the hotel after 9 p.m.
Atlanta City Council member Michael Julian Bond said the city must find a more consistent way to manage its large youth population.
“We are once again managing this population through policy, more than any other sector of our society, so we all have to step up our management of this population throughout the year,” Bond said.
source
The information in this article comes from Atlanta police and Fox 5’s Annie Mapp, speaking with Jedi Niyomkul and Michael Julian Bond.
