Three Men Arrested in Drive-By Shooting

Three men were arrested on Atlanta's west side Thursday for attempting to elude police and the shooting of a victim in Midtown.  

According to Kim Jones, spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Public Affairs, a Zone One police sergeant on Thursday attempted to initiate a traffic stop of a Pontiac Montana minivan with three suspects for having one headlight out. 

The vehicle initially pulled into a parking lot but as the sergeant pulled in behind the vehicle it sped off going west on Joseph E. Boone.

The supervisor advised other units of the vehicle failing to stop.

Another Zone One unit was at West Lake and Joseph E. Boone when the vehicle passed by them. The officers turned around in an attempt to catch up to the minivan.

When the officers got to Richardson Street they observed the minivan in the middle of the road. 

The minivan had tried to negotiate the curve too fast, lost control, struck a telephone pole, and bounced back into the roadway.

One suspect attempted to flee on foot but was captured by officers.

When the supervisor arrived on scene, he went over to check out the minivan. Upon approaching the minivan, the passenger tried to grab the shoulder strap of an AK-47 assault rifle.

The supervisor secured the AK-47, along with a .25 pistol, and took both occupants of the vehicle into custody.

All three men were taken to Grady Hospital for non life-threatening injuries. 

While on scene, Atlanta Police received a call from Atlanta Medical Center about the arrival of a man shot. 

An officer met with the victim. He stated that he was walking on Ponce De Leon Avenue, at Parkway Drive, when three black male suspects in a grey minivan with one headlight out shot him with an AK-47.  The victim stated that he didn’t know why the suspect shot him. 

The suspects are Sydney Clark (Driver), 22; Michael Clark,19; and     Shelton Deshawn, 19.

The suspects were charged with aggravated assault in the shooting, convicted felons in possession of firearms, along with numerous traffic charges. 

All three suspects are in stable condition at Grady Hospital.

Cascade Patch reported a similar incident of an accident at the intersection of Lawton and Donnelly Ave. on April 1, 2011.  Witnesses stated that two cars collided at the major intersections. Two men were seen running from the accident scene. One carried an AK-47 and another one carried a safe.

Carlos Campos, APD Public Affairs manager stated that the men were travelling in a gold Saturn at a high rate of speed down Lawton St. after robbing a restaurant business, Yasim's, located on Ralph David Abernathy. The suspects collided with a burgandy Acura. The suspects escaped, however, the victim from the other car was seriously injured and transported to Grady Hospital.

Cascade Patch has requested information of possible connection of the two cases, however, we have not recieved a response at this time.