An Atlanta mother says a man opened fire on her car while her 4-year-old son sat strapped into the backseat near Rodney Cook Sr. Park on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard on Wednesday night, accusing her of stealing his dog before squeezing off more than 10 rounds.
Her son was not hurt, but the family says the vehicle was left riddled with bullet holes.
As reported by WSB-TV, Atlanta police responded to calls near Rodney Cook Sr. Park and found the victim's car peppered with gunfire on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. Investigators described the case as an attempted robbery that erupted into gunfire and said the shooter fled the scene in a Nissan sedan with tinted windows.
The victim told Channel 2 she had been watching someone try to sell a dog when the dog's owner returned and accused her of helping take it. "He got out with a big gun. And he was like why did you give them my dog?" she said. She told reporters the man then opened fire, unleashing more than 10 shots into her car while her son sat inside, according to WSB-TV.
Park safety and recent violence
The shooting near Rodney Cook Sr. Park lands at a tense moment for Atlanta's public spaces, with residents already on edge about violence in city parks this spring. In April, a fatal shooting at Piedmont Park left a 16-year-old dead and prompted city officials to ramp up enforcement and offer a $15,000 reward for information, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
What investigators are asking
Investigators say the gunman in the Rodney Cook Sr. Park incident was last seen driving a Nissan sedan with tinted windows. Police have not released a suspect description or a detailed motive.
Authorities are asking anyone who saw the incident or who has dashcam or cellphone footage from the area to contact Atlanta police as the investigation continues.
