Two men were shot outside The Daiquiri Factory in Atlanta's West Midtown neighborhood, with a 31-year-old victim struck in the head and left in critical condition. Police say a second man was shot in the arm and is in stable condition, and investigators are now working to connect the shooting scene to a car found at one Atlanta location and another vehicle found burned elsewhere.
According to WSB-TV, Atlanta police Lt. Christapher Butler confirmed that two people were shot outside the restaurant, located at the intersection of Howell Mill Road and Chattahoochee Avenue. Officers blocked off that stretch of roadway as they processed the scene, and a witness told the station they heard gunfire before seeing several people on the ground. The Daiquiri Factory is cooperating with the investigation, per the same report.
Two Cars, Two Different Parts of Atlanta
Investigators say they found a car on Peters Street in Downtown Atlanta that they believe is connected to the shooting, WSB-TV reports. A second vehicle turned up on Detroit Avenue in Northwest Atlanta — and that one had been set on fire, according to the station's account. Police have not detailed whether the burned vehicle is connected to the shooting outside the restaurant, and that question remains part of the ongoing investigation.
The geography of the case spans several of the Atlanta Police Department's patrol zones: the APD describes Zone 2 as covering Buckhead and Northeast Atlanta, while portions of west Midtown moved from Zone 2 to Zone 5 under the beat redesign, according to the Atlanta Police Department. The case involves three relevant locations spread across the city.
Channel 2 Action News This Morning aired live developments on the investigation between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m., the station's report notes, as reporters tracked updates from the restaurant scene and the two vehicle locations simultaneously.
Why the Burned Car Matters
The WSB-TV report also describes a vehicle that had been set on fire. Under Georgia law, first-degree arson under O.C.G.A. § 16-7-60 requires intent to defraud an insurer or property owner, or circumstances in which harm to people was reasonably foreseeable, according to the Atlanta DUI Lawyer firm's legal analysis. Separately, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon — the kind of charge that could stem from the non-fatal shooting injuries described in this case — is a felony under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-21 punishable by 1 to 20 years, according to Justia Law. The WSB-TV report does not state whether charges have been announced in connection with the shooting.
A Corridor With a Recent History
This is not the first violent incident along the Howell Mill Road corridor. In September 2024, an off-duty police officer exchanged gunfire with an erratic vehicle in the same area, an incident Hoodline covered in a piece titled Off-Duty Officer Exchanges Gunfire With Erratic SUV on Howell Mill Rd. The following month, law enforcement arrested a suspect in connection with an August 2024 fatal shooting on the same stretch, a case that resulted in murder charges.
The Daiquiri Factory itself is known for hosting recurring late-night entertainment, including DJ events and weekend gatherings that run into the early morning hours, according to event listings on Eventbrite. The venue advertises frozen cocktails and full food service alongside its late-night lounge programming, drawing crowds well past midnight on weekends.
Citywide Crime Trends Amid Local Violence
The shooting comes even as Atlanta has posted broader gains against violent crime. Citywide crime fell 7% between 2024 and 2025, with homicide rates dropping 43% from 2022 to 2025, according to data released by the City of Atlanta Police Department. The article also references department performance metrics and discusses public-safety efforts.
For now, the investigation into the shooting outside The Daiquiri Factory remains active, with police working to establish whether the vehicle on Peters Street and the burned vehicle on Detroit Avenue tie back to the scene on Howell Mill Road. The WSB-TV report does not state whether arrests have been announced, and the condition of the 31-year-old victim remains critical.
