Police arrested a 70-year-old retired doctor on Tuesday after a lengthy standoff at the Four Seasons hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.
Former eye care specialist Dr. Jay Berger was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after he pulled a gun on the hotel manager, threw furniture off of the balcony, then engaged in a shootout with police. He is expected to face other charges in the future following the investigation.
At approximately 10:12 a.m., Atlanta Police Department officers arrived at the Four Seasons hotel’s residential condominium after receiving a call from the residential manager that Burger was throwing objects into the hallway outside of his room on the 33rd floor. The manager told police that he had gone up to the room to confront Berger, who allegedly pulled a gun on him.
After law enforcement arrived on the scene, Berger immediately barricaded himself inside his apartment, prompting officers to call in the SWAT team. Berger then allegedly began shooting at them through the apartment’s walls, leading to one officer shooting back.
Shots fired during a SWAT standoff at the Four Seasons in Midtown Atlanta.
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) October 29, 2024
The doctor then fled onto the balcony and began throwing items off the 33rd floor balcony. The hours-long standoff was finally ended when a SWAT sniper shot and injured Berger. He was then reportedly seen raising his hands as if to surrender, then returning inside his apartment, prompting officers to enter the room to arrest him without further incident and transport him out of the building on a stretcher.
🚨#BREAKING: Numerous law enforcement officers are on the scene of an active shooter at the Four Seasons Hotel as dozens of shots have been fired⁰⁰📌#Atlanta | #Georgia
⁰Currently, a large response of law enforcement officers, emergency crews, and multiple agencies are on the… pic.twitter.com/Il3OWu7OwI— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) October 29, 2024
In a statement to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Four Seasons thanked police for their “swift response” and confirmed that the incident had happened at the residential condominium that is separate from the hotel and managed independently — though part of the incident occurred outside of the hotel’s portion of the high-rise.
“We are truly grateful for the swift response of the Atlanta Police Department and can confirm the hotel and surrounding area is now open. As always, the safety and security of our guests and employees is our top priority,” the statement read.
During a press conference, Atlanta Police Department Chief Darin Schierbaum explained that officers had witnessed Berger throw at least one firearm off the balcony. Authorities have also estimated that at least 15 rounds were fired by the suspect.
Only one SWAT officer, later identified as Jonathan Caporaso, was wounded during the incident and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Both Caporaso and Berger were taken to the nearby Grady Hospital for treatment. The SWAT officer was released later that evening, while Berger remained in the hospital overnight. He will be taken into custody at the Fulton County jail upon release.
Schierbaum has confirmed that Berger’s actions were related to a mental health emergency and has praised his officers for ending the shootout without any fatalities.
“We saw bravery,” the police chief said during the press conference. “We saw an effort made to preserve life.”
