Federal prosecutors say a 43-year-old repeat felon opened fire from an SUV into a downtown Atlanta homeless encampment last fall, and he is now facing a federal gun charge that could lock him up for decades.
Alexander Wood appeared in federal court Thursday after a grand jury indicted him in April on a federal firearms charge tied to an Oct. 10, 2025 shooting near Forsyth Street SW and Peachtree Street. Prosecutors say shots were fired into a homeless encampment, though no injuries were reported. Wood pleaded not guilty and is being held in U.S. Marshals custody.
According to Atlanta News First, witnesses reported gunfire from an SUV into the camp, and officers later traced the vehicle to an apartment on Lee Street. Police found shell casings at the scene and a Smith & Wesson handgun stashed under bushes near the building entrance, the outlet reported. Atlanta News First also noted that in a separate case, Wood pleaded guilty in Fulton County Superior Court in April to fleeing from police and several misdemeanors and received a one-year sentence with credit for time served.
Federal indictment and charges
In a press release, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia said a federal grand jury returned an indictment on April 14, 2026, charging Wood with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Lim is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia
Prosecutors say Wood has multiple prior felony convictions, including burglary, armed robbery and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Those record entries trigger a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and could bring a life sentence if he is convicted on the current gun charge, according to the office. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative that focuses on gun crime and violent offenders. The office says Wood appeared in federal court on June 25, pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia
Prosecutors' message
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg used the case to send a blunt warning about repeat offenders.
"Unrepentant and undeterred violent criminals who possess firearms despite repeated state-court convictions will be held accountable in federal court, where there is no opportunity for parole," Hertzberg said in the office's statement.
The same release quoted FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham and Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, who both praised the coordination between agencies that led to the federal filing. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia
Local context
The shooting allegation lands in the middle of an already heated fight over how Atlanta handles homeless encampments. Encampment safety and city enforcement have been flashpoints for years, and advocates intensified their criticism after a January 2025 tent-clearing operation that left a man dead, according to reporting by the Associated Press. The federal case against Wood now plays out against those tensions, with some residents focused on public safety and others demanding more humane housing and outreach strategies.
For now, Wood remains presumed innocent as his federal case moves forward and prosecutors work to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. The U.S. Attorney's public affairs office distributed the press release and can be contacted for updates on court dates and filings.
