Mayhem In Midtown: Shooting, Attempted Carjacking Halt Traffic

ATLANTA, GA -- A mild Thursday morning in Midtown turned into mayhem when the driver of a Hummer sparked a car chase that ended with an attempted carjacking and him getting shot, Atlanta police said.

In video posted on social media, an Atlanta police spokesman said a carjacking involving a Porsche and Hummer was foiled when the perpetrator was shot in the stomach by a passenger in the sports car and detained by officers.

Police said the wounded perpetrator, who has not been identified, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital "conscious and breathing."

The incident began when police were responding to a call of a black Hummer smashing into vehicles in Buckhead near Garson and Piedmont roads, according to WXIA.

Officers in pursuit followed the Hummer into Midtown, where the driver happened upon the Porsche, which had two occupants, police said.

"On Spring and 16th Street, a white male exited the vehicle and attempted to carjack a white Porsche," Atlanta police spokesman Donald Hannah says in a video uploaded Thursday to Twitter. "At that point the driver of the Porsche and the subject that exited the Hummer got into a tussle and the passenger of the Porsche ended up firing a round and striking the subject [that exited the Hummer] in the stomach."

Law enforcement authorities initially told reporters on the scene that the incident was possibly sparked by road rage.

An officer approached the attempted carjacker and Tased him, Hannah said. The wounded perpetrator was then detained, placed under arrest and taken to Grady.

The commotion brought traffic to a standstill around 16th Street, to the chagrin of motorists. Also unhappy are owners of the several vehicles that were hit in Buckhead, Hannah said.

"At this point, we're counting about eight, but that's subject to change as we investigate," he said.

Things returned to normal after police let traffic freely flow. Hannah said the Hummer did not appear stolen.

Despite the string of events, no one else was hurt in the mayhem, Hannah said.

Image via Pixabay