Crime & Safety

Police: Drug Deal Gone Bad Led to Fracas at Varsity

Atlanta Police officers release more details on the shootings and multi-vehicle accident from Friday.

 

Atlanta police say a failed drug deal in the parking lot of The Varsity led to Friday's shooting and multiple-car accident that sent several members of an innocent family to the emergency room for treatment.

Sgt. Gregory Lyon of the Atlanta Police Department said Monday that money and marijuana were found in the red SUV that triggered several accidents as the suspects tried to flee.

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"Inside the vehicle, in plain view were 3 weapons, suspected marijuana wrapped in plastic, and US currency of $815.00 with blood stains," Sgt. Lyon said.

The incident left two of the suspects with gunshot wounds, one to the hand and one to the chest. Lyon said the shooting took place inside the vehicle while it was sitting in The Varsity parking lot.

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The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. Friday. Police said the red SUV exited the Varsity parking lot onto Spring Street and struck another vehicle, pushing it into a white SUV. The white SUV ended up flipped onto its side as it was pushed into the middle of the intersection. The red SUV - the vehicle where the shootings took place - hit more vehicles at it sped south on Spring Street, police said.

A brief manhunt began as one of the suspects managed to flee the scene. He was later found hiding near the church at W. Peachtree and Ponce De Leon, where he was arrested. This suspect, Leslie Robinson, "was searched and found inside his pants pocket, was a blue plastic bag of a white powdery substance, possibly cocaine."

Sgt. Lyon says that all subjects involved with this incident were caught at or near the scene and that there are no additional suspects. Eight people were transported to Grady due to injuries suffered in the car wrecks. None of those injuries turned out to be critical.

Three people were arrested and charged with crimes stemming from their arrests on Friday afternoon. The fourth, Leslie Robinson, was arrested on outstanding warrants from Douglas and Cobb Counties.

"Evidence from the vehicle and from occupants inside the vehicle led to charges and arrest warrants for everyone inside the vehicle," Lyon said.

 

See also:

3-Car Accident on North Ave. Injures 8 People

Police ID Suspects Connected to Varsity Shooting



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