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He spoke to reporters after a shooting in downtown Atlanta. Then, police say, he hijacked a bus

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ATLANTA (AP) — As police responded to reports of several people shot at a downtown Atlanta food court, Joseph Grier was on the sidewalk outside, speaking to reporters about his mental health, his criminal record and banking history.

“I’m bipolar, I’ll tell you all that, and I’m off my meds for about two weeks,” Grier said Tuesday afternoon, sounding agitated and adding that he felt like a “snitch” for describing what he had. seen.

Shortly afterward, police say, he hijacked a commuter bus, ordering the driver at gunpoint to step on the accelerator, causing the passengers to panic. By the time the bus stopped about 40 minutes later, authorities said, Grier had fatally shot a passenger and led officers on a dramatic chase across three counties.

The food court shooting and bus hijacking — just two hours and a few blocks apart — created a sense of chaos in Atlanta. In the aftermath, city leaders denounced the prevalence of guns on the streets, but were quick to reassure residents and tout statistics that show violent crime in Atlanta is declining.

Authorities said Grier boarded a bus bound for a Gwinnett County park and ride, 26 miles (42 kilometers) away, and fought with passenger Ernest Byrd Jr. When Byrd, 58, pulled out a gun, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Grier took the weapon and shot Byrd. Grier then threatened to shoot the driver if he stopped.

Despite Grier’s warnings not to use a phone, at least one passenger called 911 and left the line open, according to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. That gave police a better understanding of the delicate situation on board, Schierbaum said, as the bus drove down a highway and down side streets, sometimes hitting vehicles in its path. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said police slashed the bus’s tires, but it continued to drive until a state trooper fired his rifle at the engine, causing it to crash. stop working.

“You have an individual who says, ‘If you stop this bus, I’m going to kill the driver,’ which means the whole bus could overturn, go over a ditch or cross a bridge and everyone could die “, said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “But you also have a man who we know was shot. He therefore has limited time.

The chief said police will look at what they could have done to stop the bus more quickly, but added that no one can predict every scenario.

“Sometimes there’s no game plan and then you have to find a solution,” Schierbaum said. “And we saw it yesterday.”

Grier, 39, was taken off the bus in handcuffs and booked into Fulton County Jail on more than two dozen charges, including murder. He was being held without bail Wednesday and online records did not list an attorney who could comment on the charges.

Schierbaum said investigators found no connection between Grier and Jeremy Malone, 34, accused of shooting three people in the food court at the Peachtree Center complex.

In his interview with reporters outside the food court, Grier said he was in “extreme mode” when he saw the shooter. Grier spoke about the importance of protecting himself, pulling a box cutter from his pocket and repeatedly saying he couldn’t get a gun because of his criminal record.

Schierbaum and Dickens said they believe Grier’s actions were linked to mental illness — although studies show the vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent.

“Did he have a mental episode in that brief moment triggered by the police sirens, triggered by the activity that he hears, or was he already having that day a mental episode (and) he was just in this area ?” said Dickens. “All of this will play into our investigation.”

In his interview with reporters seeking witnesses to the food court shooting — including one from the Associated Press — Grier rambled for more than three minutes, saying he saw a man he believed to be the shooter confronts woman outside food court. Grier said that after the shooting, he fled.

“I protect myself. I can’t get a gun, you know what I’m saying? he said. “So my thing is to protect you like you’re in a chained gang.” I went to prison.

At a news conference Wednesday about the city’s “summer security plan” — planned before Tuesday’s shooting and hijacking — Schierbaum told reporters that investigators believe Grier did not have a weapon when he boarded the bus.

Schierbaum said 17 people were on the bus, including the driver. Byrd was taken to the hospital, where he died.

Byrd’s family said he was a structural engineer and lived much of his life in New York and Marlton, New Jersey, before moving to Georgia about a decade ago. A lover of travel, his Masonic lodge and his family, Byrd was engaged, they said.

“He was a man known for his unwavering dedication to resolving conflicts and protecting others,” those close to him said in a statement.

Tonya Pendleton, a relative of Byrd’s ex-wife, said family members are still trying to understand what happened. She said Byrd left behind four children, as well as a child and relatives of his ex-wife whom he helped raise. Pendleton said funeral arrangements were incomplete Wednesday.

Dickens said Tuesday’s two shootings were the “result of too many people having guns in their hands.” He noted that both suspects had lengthy criminal records — Malone had 11 prior arrests and Grier 19 — and were prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions.

Dickens said city officials want to have “a conversation about the appropriate way to sentence someone who has committed so many crimes, some with guns, others who have injured people or taken property.” .

Schierbaum also called for action against repeat offenders: “Either they need assistance through court-mandated drug and mental health programs or they need to be removed from the circulation of society.” And judges need to be part of that conversation.

Grier is charged with one count of murder, one count of hijacking a motor vehicle, 13 counts of aggravated assault, 14 counts of kidnapping, one count of possession of a firearm fire by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a felony.

Fulton County Prosecutor Fani Willis asked state officials Wednesday to appoint a special prosecutor in Grier’s case, saying an employee in her office was a victim or witness, without further explanation . Willis is best known for her prosecutions of former President Donald Trump and rapper Young Thug.

Charges against Malone in the food court shooting include aggravated assault and reckless driving. He was held without bail in Fulton County Jail, and no attorney who could comment on the charges was listed in online court records. Schierbaum said Malone and the three food court victims are all expected to survive.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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