SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs police have identified the suspects who were arrested after a large police investigation at a local park.
Police have charged James Andrew Dutton and Elisha Deaton. Both face charges of possession of a firearm in a city park and possession of alcohol in a city park.
Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen was at the park, where visitors said the recent incident had been a bit “unnerving.”
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On Wednesday, police released a photo of Dutton sent to them by a person who spotted him near the park’s entrance.
Visitors at Morgan Falls say they were spooked by what the suspect was accused of causing.
“We’re just trying to be in the area and paddleboard and have a fun day. I feel like it just scares us and makes us unwilling to be here,” Darcy Gaynor, a park visitor, said.
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Sandy Springs police launched a large search in the park with assistance from the FBI, GBI, Cobb County Police K-9, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and SWAT teams.
A woman who lives in a subdivision near the park called 911 after she heard gunfire.
Audio from a 911 call shared with Channel 2 Action News had more details of what prompted the large police response.
“About six shots, a little bit later I looked at my watch,” the caller said in the recording. “It was 10:28 a.m. We heard four more shots, it sounded like obvious gunshots.”
The search prompted a nearby polling location at Ison Springs Elementary to close for hours. It reopened later Tuesday afternoon and got an extension to allow voting until 11:02 p.m.
Police said they have not found any evidence the incident was related to voting or election activity.
But for those living nearby, the situation wasn’t ideal.
“It’s not nice to know that such a peaceful area can be terrorized like this. It’s not cool,” Bobbi Allen, a park visitor, said.
Deaton was caught just over the river in Cob County, but police haven’t said yet how the two men are connected.
Both Dutton and Deaton face charges including possession of a firearm in a city park. Nobody was injured during the entire ordeal.
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