3 Atlanta police officers shot while responding to call

Three Atlanta police officers were shot while responding to a call Saturday evening, officials said.

The unidentified officers were called to Desoto Avenue SW shortly after 5 p.m. for a call of an armed man, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters.

Officers encountered the suspect, who was apparently armed with a handgun and a knife, when shots rang out, Schierbaum said.

The unidentified suspect was killed in the fight, according to the chief.

All three Force members were transported to Grady Hospital and described as “alert, conscious and breathing,” according to police.

Two of the officers were described as being 31 years old and having served for four years. The third officer was described as a 28-year-old man who had been on the force for five months.

One officer was shot in the shoulder, another in the leg and the other was scratched, Schierbaum said. Two of the officers underwent surgery, according to the chief.

The case is still ongoing.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens visited the officers and their families at the hospital.

“My thoughts are with these officers and their families, and we are cooperating fully with this ongoing investigation. Thank you to the surgeons and staff at Grady Hospital for ensuring the survival of our officers,” he said. declared in a press release.