2 suspects facing charges after large police investigation at Sandy Springs park, officials say
Sandy Springs police have identified two suspects arrested during an investigation at a local park that caused a nearby polling place to shut down for hours on Tuesday.
Authorities say they received reports of a man "dressed in military style gear" who got into an argument with someone and then entered the woods at Morgan Falls Overlook Park.
The 911 caller also reported hearing gunshots, leading to a large police response out of caution.
The response caused nearby Ison Springs Elementary School to go on soft lockdown from around noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesday. Because there were two election precincts at the school, voting was extended for four hours beyond the normal 7 p.m. closing time on Election Day.
Police say they eventually located a suspect, identified as James Andrew Dutton, in the parking lot of the park. He was charged with two counts of possession of a firearm in a city park and one count of possession of alcohol in a city park.
A second suspect, identified as Elisha Deaton, was taken into custody in Cobb County as part of the investigation. She's also charged with possession of a firearm and possession of alcohol in a city park.
"At this time, investigators have found no evidence indicating this incident was related to voting or election activity," the Sandy Springs Police Department said in a statement. "Investigators are also continuing to determine whether the reported gunshots were connected to the incident."
No injuries have been reported.