Atlanta police are investigating a shooting that left multiple people injured at a warming center in an Old Fourth Ward park.

Authorities say the shooting happened shortly before 10 a.m. on Thursday at 400 Merritts Avenue, the address for the neighborhood's 17-acre Central Park. The park's recreation center was being used by the city as a warming center overnight due to the dropping temperatures around the area. 

According to investigators, a man "became irate" inside the warming center and started threatening patrons and an employee. That man eventually pulled out a firearm and fired shots. An Atlanta police officer who was working an off-duty job at the center intervened and fired a shot.

A spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department has confirmed that one person was shot four to five times and another was shot at least once. Both are rushed to Grady Memorial Service for treatment and are expected to survive.

The suspect, who has not been identified, was taken into custody. Officials say they were transported to the hospital by ambulance for a non-gunshot-related injury.

Agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation have been called to the scene to investigate the off-duty officer's involvement, as is protocol.

Investigators have not shared what led up to the shooting or how the individual was able to bring a weapon into the warming center.

The investigation remains ongoing.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated when we receive more information.

Preliminary information: On January 15, 2026, at approximately 9:54 a.m., a verbal dispute inside the Central Park Recreation Center at 400 Merritts Ave. NE escalated to gunfire. An Atlanta Police officer working an off-duty job at location intervened and discharged his firearm. The suspect was taken into custody and was transported to the hospital by ambulance for a non-gunshot related injury.Preliminary investigation indicates two victims at the location sustained apparent gunshot wounds. The two victims were alert, conscious, and breathing, and transported to the hospital by ambulance.The officer was uninjured from the incident.The Georgia Bureau of Investigations will lead the investigation into the officer involved shooting.Future questions regarding the investigation into the officer involved shooting should be directed to the GBI.