Police release name of man accused of mall threats

ATLANTA - Police have released the identity of the man investigators said called in a threat of a mass shooting at an Atlanta mall on Friday.

Rashon Leiniel Banks, 47, was charged with terroristic threats and acts after Atlanta Police said he called a crisis hotline reporting there was going to be a mass shooting at the Greenbriar Mall. Police said the calls started to come in around 9:51 a.m.

Police said they were able to trace the calls to near the mall and was able to use cameras to locate Banks in a wooded area. Banks surrendered peacefully to police after negotiators were brought in to assist.

A backpack was found by officers outside a dumpster, but bomb squad technicians determined it was not dangerous.

Banks was checked out by medical personnel before being taken into custody.

Several nearby schools were placed on lockdown and nearby roads, including the ramps off of Interstate 285 were blocked for a time.

No one was injured.

Police have not yet released a motive behind the threats.

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