“He has been transported to the Fulton County Jail,” said Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos.
Campos said the suspect surrendered after realizing that he had been identified by Atlanta police. He then contacted an attorney and turned himself in, Campos said.
The suspect was employed as a security guard at a building directly across the street from the parking deck where the shootings occurred. The shooting happened on the third level of a parking deck at the Proscenium building at 14th Street and Crescent Avenue.
“AlliedBarton Security Services extends our most heartfelt sympathy and prayers for the victims and their families involved in this tragic incident. ” “We are shocked and saddened that one of our employees has been implicated in this incident,” the company said in a statement.The suspect fled in a black Toyota Prius that belonged to the woman who was killed in the shooting, Campos said. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office identified her as Brittany Watts, 26, of Decatur.
Watts’ car was found late Friday afternoon near the intersection of Richland and Cascade roads.
“The Toyota Prius belonging to the victim of the fatal shooting in which he fled has been recovered in southwest Atlanta,” said Campos.
Watts worked for 22squared, an advertising agency. The company released a statement on Friday night.
“We are deeply saddened by today’s unimaginable tragedy, and the loss of Brittney Watts, a valued member of our 22squared family. We ask that during this time, you allow the victim’s family and friends to privately mourn this tremendous loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with Brittney’s loved ones, MSL Group and MSL’s employees who were injured today,” said company spokeswoman Julianna Bowman.
Channel 2’s Tom Regan spoke to the father of one of the surviving victims who said he rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital after hearing what happened.
“We are very fortunate. She was shot in the calf. She’s going to be OK,” said Rod Wright.
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Police said they found the suspect’s getaway car near the intersection of Richland and Cascade roads in southwest Atlanta.
He said his daughter, 24-year-old Tiffany Ferenczy, described to him her terrifying encounter with the gunman.
“All of a sudden the car came out, the car was blocked and the next thing you know he jumps out and starts shooting. That’s when the two victims got shot. My daughter was one of them,” said Wright.
Ferenczy works as an assistant account executive in the area. Her employer, MSL Group, emailed Channel 2 a statement regarding the shooting.
“Both our employees, Lauren Garcia, a 23-year-old intern and Tiffany Ferenczy, a 24-year-old assistant account executive were taken immediately to Grady Memorial Hospital’s trauma unit. Their families have been notified and were joined at Grady by MSL Atlanta senior leadership. At this time, we don’t know the extent of their injuries, but thankfully we know that they are both alive and in stable condition. We are cooperating with the Atlanta Police Department in their investigation,” said MSL Group CEO Jim Tsokanos.
“This situation is unimaginable, but we remain positive and our thoughts and prayers are with our Atlanta colleagues, their families and our staff,” said Tsokanos.
“We’re blessed.” said Wright.
Channel 2’s Richard Elliot reported that police were trying to determine if the shooter was a disgruntled employee or former employee of a business inside the building and are investigating the possibility that the gunman and the woman who was killed are co-workers or an employee and supervisor. Police told Channel 2 that they did not have information on a motive.
Police told Elliot the gunman may have been waiting for the woman in the garage before he shot her in the neck and killed her. The other two women were randomly shot as the gunmen fled the garage, police said.
Meredith Smith said she was heading home from work at the Proscenium building when she heard gunshots.
“As the door was closing, I turned around and heard, ‘Pop, pop, pop,'” Smith said.
She and several other women took cover before leaving.
“I came back outside, and a lady was lying facedown on the concrete. People were rushing towards her. People were screaming,” Smith told Regan.
Thandiwe is charged with one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault.
