An 18-year-old was shot in the leg during an argument in northwest Atlanta, the Atlanta Police Department confirmed. The incident occurred Wednesday evening near the vicinity of Fulton County Airport, on the 3600 block of Croft Place NW. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the altercation between the teenager and the shooter escalated, leading to the violent outcome, the shooter subsequently fled before the arrival of the authorities.

Responding to calls just before 6:30 p.m., officers arrived at the scene only to find the young man with a gunshot wound, the victim was hurriedly transported to the hospital and has been reported as alert and breathing, and his current state is treated with careful optimism. WSBTV reports confirmed the victim and the suspect were embroiled in a heated exchange, which fatefully spiraled into the shooting, now the matter is in the hands of investigators with the Aggravated Assault Unit and it remains a subject of intensive examination.

The Atlanta Police Department has not yet released a description of the suspect, who remains at large, law enforcement efforts continue in earnest, and the public's assistance is solicited for any information that could be pivotal in resolving the case. The details surrounding the argument that led to the shooting have not been disclosed, adding dimensions of the unknown in an already complex cityscape defined too often by similar stories of adolescent energy colliding disastrously with firearm accessibility.