Atlanta police: 2 men wounded after gun battle with SWAT officers

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Members of the Atlanta Police SWAT Team wounded two men in a gun battle on a well-known Atlanta street, Atlanta Police said Wednesday.

The gun battle broke out at about 12:30 p.m. as a SWAT team vehicle traveled southbound on Moreland Avenue at the intersection of Memorial Drive.

Deputy Chief Jeff Glazier told reporters the SWAT officers drove up near a Ford pickup truck and saw a passenger pull out a handgun.

According to officials, the offier told the passenger to put the weapon down, but instead he pointed it at them.

"They feared for their life so that’s why they fired at the suspects,” Glazier said.

According to the deputy chief, the man in the car fired back at officers, striking the SWAT vehicle.

The SWAT officers returned fire, wounding both men inside the vehicle.

Glazier said the unidentified men are in stable condition.

None of the SWAT officers were injured.

Agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation immediately came to the scene to begin their investigation, which is standard procedure in a police shooting.

SKYFOX 5 flew over the scene and showed a large area blocked off by police tape, blocking traffic northbound and southbound traffic at the intersection.

Glazier said his officers set up the large perimeter so investigators will not miss any evidence related to the shooting.